Dark Legacy
by John Riehle
Summary: A dreadful weapon left behind by Zorpox threatens the entire world. Now, only one person may be able to stop it, but he can't seem to remember a thing!
1. Familiar Face

Author's Note: Sorry for this first chapter being so short. It's more of an prologue than an actual chapter. I'll write more soon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're back!" Kim Possible announced as she and her longtime sidekick, best friend and boyfriend Ron Stoppable dragged their feet through the front door of Kim's house, a look of fatigue set in both their faces.

"All I'm saying KP, is that if we just shaved Monkey Fist after capturing him, then he wouldn't really be a monkey man anymore, just some creepy guy who walks funny and doesn't have any hair. He'd totally lose his monkey mojo and we wouldn't have to check for lice every time we get back from fighting him." Ron Stoppable seemed to continue a discussion begun earlier in the trip home as he followed Kim into the kitchen.

"Welcome home, hon." The maternal Possible greeted as she looked up from her paper at the table. "You kids got back just in time. I'm making sandwiches if you're interested."

"Baloney mom. Please and thank you." Kim replied as she achingly dropped herself into the kitchen chair.

"I mean come on; the look on his face alone would be totally priceless. We could take a picture and see if we can get Wade to put it on some business cards for us." Ron continued to sell his point as he sat down next to Kim.

"Ron, unless you want to shave him yourself, there is no way." Kim's eyes told Ron that the matter was officially decided.

"Ron, anything for you?" Mrs. Possible offered.

"Baloney sounds badical Mrs. P."

"Oh boy, huh hu! Four please." A buck toothed pink head squeaked as he popped out of his resting place in Ron's pocket, scampering up to the table top.

"So, I take it your mission went well?" Mrs. Dr. Possible inquired within her rights as a mother as she retrieved bread from a cabinet.

"Oh yeah." Kim admitted. "Check one recovered stolen Monkey Idol, scratch one evil monkey demon."

"You ever notice how Global Justice never gets those calls?" Ron mused aloud. "I mean, cat stuck in a tree, and they send their best man, Will Du, on the job. Ancient monkey prophecy about to end the world, and suddenly ever man they got is busy and we end up having to fly halfway around the world at five in the morning, on a Saturday morning, to save the day. And those monkeys fight dirty!"

"You mean they cheat?" Mrs. Possible asked somewhat confused by the surprise in Ron's declaration.

"No, I mean they fight _dirty._ That reminds me, can I burn this shirt?" Ron asked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I really meant in the fireplace, you guys!" Ron remained frozen in panic.

"Too boring." Jim replied.

"Too plain." Tim agreed as he held the Thermo Nuclear Harness, which as far as Ron could tell was just a fancy word for heat ray, in his hands, steadying his aim right on Ron's chest.

"Doesn't your mother ever talk to you about playing with matches, or lasers, in the house?" Ron asked, the worry in his voice become louder and louder.

"Just don't squirm." Tim assured as he steadied his aim.

"AHHH!" In one swift motion, Ron removed his shirt and threw it up into the air.

"Pull!" Jim cried out as his brother activated the device, causing a bright crimson beam to fire out across the room, hitting Ron's shirt dead on, causing it to glow, before reducing it to spare ashes to sprinkle harmlessly to the ground.

"TWEEBS!" Kim cried out as she came down the stairs, surveying the mess done to the rug. "You are so totally cleaning that or mom is going to remove the left halves of your brains by the time she's done with you!"

"You know what this means." Jim said gravely as he turned from his sister to his partner in all crime.

"Time to give the Dusterminator its first test run!"

"Hicka-bicka-boo."

The pair then ran upstairs to their room eagerly.

"Why can't they just take up vandalism like normal kids?" Kim asked with a resigned sigh as she came down, holding a shirt for Ron in hand.

"Too many brain cells. It's a Possible genetic condition. No known cure. Thanks KP." Ron replied as he took the shirt in hand. As he did, Kim raised an eyebrow as she got to check out her boyfriend's build. As she had told Monique on more than one occasion, there were a lot of perks to dating a monkey master, and one of the best was the view.

Even as Kim felt the blood rush to her face, she could feel the strength rushing out of her legs. Moving over to the family couch, she plopped herself down. "Ok, new rule. No more rushing out across the world at five in the morning after staying out till ten and chatting on the phone till midnight." Kim decreed as she tried to rub the fatigue from her eyes.

"Totally worth it though. You were spankin' on the dance floor last night KP." Ron assured her comfortingly as he sat down beside her.

Kim was about to reply when the door bell interrupted. Kim sighed as she pulled at her aching muscles to take her to the door, opening it to be greeted by a brown suited delivery man that Kim was certain she had seen somewhere before.

"Package for Kim Possible." The man announced politely.

"Thanks." Kim took the small package in hand. The package itself was small, and aside from the wrapping, undecorated. No letter or note came with it except for the formal postal tags. "Have a nice day."

"Oh I will, just as soon as I finish at the end of it." The man seemed to sigh with a contended resignation of sort as he walked off. Kim still couldn't help the nagging feeling that this man was somehow familiar, but the package in hand stole her focus.

"What's up KP?" Ron called out as he walked over to her.

"From a secret admirer I guess." Kim indicated to the light package in her hands. "Did you get me an early birthday present Ron?" Kim turned to him with a smile.

"Sorry KP, wrong admirer. But if that comes with a love letter addressed to any blue foxes, it's getting burned along with my shirt!" Ron announced begrudgingly.

Rather than reply, Kim tore at the brown wrapping paper, revealing an otherwise unmarked blank video tape cassette. On it was a label with a simple message.

_Play by: 12:43, 10/7/2006_

Kim looked up at the clock in the family living room. The label carried the day's date and the time was just one minute till forty three after.

"Ok. Someone has a day planner by their VCR." Kim observed, a little weirded out by the situation. As she looked at the label, the teenaged super hero was positive she could recognize the handwriting, though it escaped her for the moment.

"Well, no point in getting your new boyfriend's underwear in a wedgie." Ron offered as he put the tape inside the family entertainment system, checking the time to make sure it was synchronized with the label's cryptic instruction.

"Amp down the drama Ron." Kim sat next to her. "It's probably nothing like that."

For the first few comforting seconds as the tape played, only static graced the screen. Then, in a horrific moment that froze Kim and Ron's blood at the same instant, a face appeared on the television set that Kim had prayed, rather ironically, never to see again.

"Greetings Kimberly Anne Possible." The distinct, blue skinned face of Zorpox the Conqueror appeared before her, cackling menacingly from within a stone walled lair that Kim assumed to have been the same one where she had last done battle with the twisted doppleganger of her best friend. "If you're watching this tape, then it's quite likely that you found a way to reverse the effects of the Attitudinator, and I'm once again nothing more than your peddling lap dog, panting at your leg!"

"Hey, I don't pant!" Ron argued back against his former self.

"But let me assure you, this dog still has one last bark in him. Woof woof! Bwahahahahahaha!" Zorpox's laugh boomed out from the television speakers, sending a long forgotten chill down Kim's spine.

"Did I really sound like that when I laughed?" Ron asked.

"Oh yeah. It got old fast." Kim assured him.

"If you're watching this tape at the time and date indicated on the label, then at this very moment, the volcanic mountain of Mount Scarem, off the coast of Italy, should be erupting as we speak, sending hot volcanic magma into the air and ocean, trigging a tsunami several hundred feet tall. If you act now, you might have just enough time to rush enough inflatable swimmies to all the affected areas. Booyahahahahahahaha!"

Both Kim and Ron's jaw dropped in perfect synchronization, helpless before the cackling madman on the screen before them.

"It's all courtesy of a littleproject I left behind. Just something for you to remember me by. I call it the Annihilation Wave. It's very fascinating, I'd tell you all about it, but that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? Bwahahahahahaha!"

"Man, you weren't kidding. The laugh does get old." Ron tried to make light of the situation.

"While I won't give away the Annihlation Wave's secrets, I can tell you that in exactly twenty four hours, every continent on Earth will feel my wrath, but you Kim Possible, you shall feel my vengence! Bwahahahahahaha!"

With that, the image faded from the screen, leaving Kim and Ron to stare at each other helplessly, their mouths dropped down wide.


	2. On The Couch

Author's Note: Apologies for taking so long to update. I hope it was worth it. Write a review, get a response. And thanks to all those for reviewing already.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ron, I need you to focus." Kim's voice was steady. She looked her boyfriend square in the eye even as he remained seated on her couch in her family's living room while she remained standing over him.

"Ok." Ron replied simply.

"Zorpox."

"Blue skinned guy with the bad laugh."

"The Annihilation Wave."

"Never heard of it."

"What does it have to do with Mt. Scarem erupting?"

"Couldn't tell you." Ron replied honestly.

"Ron!" Kim threw up her hands in surrender. After four tries of this, it was getting old fast.

"KP, I don't know what to say. I have never heard of an Annihilation Wave, and I have no idea what it is, what it does, or where it is." Ron reiterated.

The chime of the Kimmunicator cut off Kim before she could begin again.

"Go Wade." She spoke into the small blue device in her hand.

"Kim, we've got problems off the coast of Italy, and I think they might be related to Ron's old Zorpox alter ego." The image of Wade Load came through clearly on the screen.

"Let me guess, you got the tape with the instructions?"

"Play by October 7th, twelve forty three." Wade replied with a knowing grin.

"Wade, the tsunami. What can we do to help?" Kim asked urgently.

"Actually, it doesn't look like there's anything you need to do at the moment. The coastal region where the tsunami is supposed to be hit is pretty sparsely populated. There's only a few small villages in the region and it looks like the authorities have the evacuations under control. By the time the wave hits, there shouldn't be anyone left in the affected area. I think we dodged a bullet on this one, Kim." Wade's voice was one of cautious optimism.

"No way. Zorpox just aimed a little too far to the left this time. Any idea how this eruption was triggered?"

"None yet. I've already got in touch with two separate geological professors studying the eruption. I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything useful. Meanwhile, we already got a hit from Global Justice."

"You don't mean…" Kim began.

"Oh no way." Ron let out a frustrated cry.

"Yep. I think they got the tape too." Wade explained uneasily.

"Zorpox really wanted to advertise didn't he?" Kim mused aloud. "Wade, our ride?"

"All set. You should be at GJ headquarter in less then ten minutes."

"You rock Wade. Call me back."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kim Possible. Ron Stoppable. Welcome back to Global Justice headquarters." Dr. Director issued proudly as her two best freelance agents stepped out of the elevator in mission gear down to the lower command room. Behind the director, Kim and Ron could make out close to half a dozen large screens relaying the same set of images, as dozens of agents worked furiously, analyzing, organizing and interpreting their data. Most of them seemed to have various news coverage and images of Mt. Scarem's eruption, while one screen far off seemed to replay Zorpox's messages on a continuous loop. Ron and Kim both paused for a second longer as they looked at this last screen, and though Kim didn't notice at the time, it caused Ron to drop his head down in shame.

"Pleasure as always." Ron greeted less than enthusiastically as he recomposed himself slightly.

"Dr. Director, the evacuations…" Kim began.

"Already ninety five percent complete. By the time that wave hits, there shouldn't even be a stray dog to get wet." Dr. Director's voice was proud, before turning back to the pair, her eye settling on Ron's timid visage. "Ron Stoppable, regarding the Annihilation Wave…"

"I don't know." Ron replied simply.

"I beg your pardon."

"I don't know." Ron insisted desperately. "Whatever it is, I don't know. I don't know where it is, I don't know what it is, and I don't know what it does…"

"Likely, some kind of weapon designed to trigger volcanic eruptions." The authoritative and confident voice of agent Will Du came from the side as the agent walked formally up to the duo. "Given Zorpox's pattern and his previous accomplishments, the Annihilator which was designed to trigger seismic tremors capable of ripping the planet apart, and the Mega Weather Generator, it seems likely that this device is also designed to artificially induce a natural disaster, in this case, volcanic eruptions."

"Can someone remind me again why he gets paid more than we do?" Ron asked.

"With all due respect Agent Du, that may be leaping to conclusions." Dr. Director reminded. "And evening assuming that you're correct, that still doesn't help us much without knowing what mechanism the Wave uses to trigger the eruptions in the first place. We need more intel."

"I've already told you, I don't remember!" Ron was getting really tired of people talking around him like he wasn't even there.

"Could Ron's lack of memory be some kind of side effect of the Attitudinator?" Kim joined in the conversation.

"Unlikely. Our studies of the device have shown no such function or side effects to accompany the device's use. More likely, Zorpox made himself, and Stoppable for that matter, forget."

"Huh." Kim was taken aback.

"Say what?" Ron followed suit.

"No one can resist torture indefinitely, which is why Global Justice trains some of its most accomplished agents," Will Du in no way immodestly explained as he placed a hand over his own chest "to suppress their own memories in case they are ever captured. This is most easily accomplished by the person filling their own minds with deliberately confusing or false information until the person can no longer distinguish the truth from the fake memories."

"So then, if Ron filled his head with bogus info, then his memories could still be inside his mind somewhere?" Kim asked, her optimism growing.

"Yes, and if so, then his real memories can be retrieved using therapeutic techniques. Most especially, the use of hypnosis."

"Oh no. Oh no no no." Ron insisted loudly. "No way is anyone going to make me fall in to a deep sleep as they count backwards from ten. I've seen those hypnotists at the airport. Thank you but no thanks, we'll keep in touch. Come on KP." Ron explained hurriedly as he grabbed Kim by the arm, heading for the elevator.

"Ron!" Kim pulled back on Ron's arm, holding him in place.

"Stoppable," Dr. Director interjected "we can't force you to do this. Even if we wanted to, hypnosis only works on willing subjects, so if you don't want to do this, we can't make you." Dr. Director re-gathered her voice, maintaining an almost maternal mix of confidence and authority with warmth. "But the truth is, we believe Zorpox's threat to be very genuine, and our people in the field have still made no real progress figuring out how he triggered the eruption in Mt. Scarem. If Zorpox's warning is on the level, then we're on the clock here, and if there is any way of finding this Annihilation Wave and disabling it, the chances are that it rests with you. We need your help."

Ron sighed as looked up at the screens in the background. The continual loop of his alter ego ranting and laughing sent goose bumps across his skin. For the first time since this had begun, as Kim looked at his face from the side, she saw something that she hadn't really appreciated until this moment.

Fear.

"Ok." Ron replied finally. "What do I have to do?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stoppable," Dr. Director lead Ron and Kim into a dimly lit room, decorated with a large collection of thick volumes, a large impressive desk and a laying couch off to the side with another large chair slightly behind it with an older man sitting down in it. "This is Dr. Heinzrich. He is the head of the psychology department within Global Justice."

"Uh, hi. How are you doing?" Ron greeted the older man in full suit uneasily.

"Please sit down, Mr. Stoppable. We must begin at once." The doctor's voice was somewhat strict, and reminded Ron almost of Mr. Barkin in its tone, if not sheer forcefulness. It poorly covered a thick German accent, and did less then nothing to ease Ron's mind. "I must ask that everyone else please leave us. We must have absolute silence and quiet."

"KP?" Ron looked uneasily at her.

"No exceptions! There must be silence!" The doctor reiterated rather loudly.

"Dude, isn't it kinda ironic to shout when you want silence?" Ron asked.

"NO!" The doctor shouted. "Now sit down. And everyone else, get out!"

"I'll be back to check on you." Kim assured Ron as she planted a light kiss on his lips before hurrying out along with Dr. Director.

"Are you sure about that guy?" Kim asked as the door closed on its own behind them.

"Dr. Heinzrich may seem a little… over passionate about his work…" Dr. Director admitted rather uneasily, "but he is one of the best experts in his field in the world. Trust me. If anyone can help Stoppable, he can."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Quack. Quack. Quack. Quack." Ron went on and on as he continued pacing back and forth in the office, his hands at his side in imitation of duck wings as he 'flapped' them back and forth.

Dr. Heinzrich slapped his palm against his face as Kim walked in on the two.

"What did you do to him?" Kim asked, almost horrified.

"I haven't done anything to him." The doctor replied tensely through his own palm.

"Quack, quac… oh hey Kim!" Ron straightened up excitedly. "I've been practicing for my audition for the school play, the Last Duckling. What do you think?"

Kim let out a sigh.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You are getting sleepy." Dr. Heinzrich instructed in a low voice as he continued to wave his pendulum before Ron's eyes. As Ron's pupils chased the pendulum back and forth, he let out a wide yawn.

"Yes, that's it. Your eyes are feeling very heavy, you are…"

"ZZZzzzzzzzzzz." Ron snored loudly as he quickly fell back into the couch.

"Mr. Stoppable? Can you hear me?"

A loud snore was the doctor's only reply.

"WAKE UP!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Now Ron, you are a in a deep sleep." The doctor announced. On the couch, laid back before him, Ron Stoppable was indeed within the grip of a deep hypnotic trance. "Mr. Stoppable, what is the greatest threat to the world right now?"

"Monkeys." Ron replied through the effects of the trance.

Dr. Heinzrich slapped his palm against his face in frustration. '_Not again.'_

"Besides monkeys, Mr. Stoppable. We have been over this and over this. I'll grant you that monkeys are a threat. There, you're happy now?"

"I'm happy now." Ron repeated as a smile seemed to work its way of its own accord over Ron's face.

"No, that's not what I meant. Stoppable, what is the greatest threat to the world at this moment… BESIDES MONKEYS?"

"Barkin." Ron replied absently.

Dr. Heinzrich let out another sigh as he sat back in his chair. "Besides monkeys and your school principle. What is an even greater threat to the world?"

"The O Boyz?"

"Worse than that." Dr. Heinzrich's face burned a deep red.

"Bonnie?"

"Worse than that."

"The sun going super nova?"

"Less than that. Between the sun going super nova and monkeys, your school principle, boy bands and this Bonnie."

Ron seemed to unconsciously contemplate this puzzle before replying. "Meat cakes?"

"NO! Zorpox! Zorpox is a threat to the world."

"Chicken pox is a threat to the world." Ron repeated mindlessly.

"NO! Not…. Grrr." Dr. Heinzrich bit down on his lip before instructing "On the count of three, I will snap my fingers and you will awaken. One, two, three!"

As the doctor's fingers snapped in Ron's ears, his eyes opened as he looked around.

"So, how is it going in here Dr. Heinzrich?" Dr. Director asked as she walked in to the room.

"This is impossible! He is completely unresponsive to my techniques!"

"What's the problem?" Dr. Director raised her eyebrow in concern.

"Well the long of it is that his mind is too simplistic and unaccustomed to introspective thinking. He is unused to any form of self analysis and so is unable to have it forced upon him."

Ron tried to determine the meaning of the doctor's words for a moment, before finally translating them through his tone.

"Hey, are you saying I'm too stupid for hypnosis to work?" Ron asked angrily.

"That is the short of it." Dr. Heinzrich explained rather gruffly.

"Hey!" Rufus chided from Ron's pocket.

"Doctor, you're on a timetable. I'd suggest you complain less about Stoppable and figure out another method of learning what we need to know." With that, Dr. Director simply turned about and left, leaving Dr. Heinzrich to stare begrudgingly at his patient.

"Hey, we're hungry. Can we break for lunch?" Ron asked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's just that this isn't as easy for me as some people might think." The figure on the couch explained rather solemnly even as he bit into his Mexican delicacy in hand. "I'm always under a lot of pressure."

"Mmhmm. Go on." Within the chair, he continued writing notes on his pad of paper.

"Everyone always expects me to help them with their problems, but does anyone ever ask what I would like? If I need help?" Dr. Heinzrich asked as he bit into his taco again.

"Ok, I want you to open up here. Don't be afraid to let out now." Ron explained as he bit into his naco. He was glad they had been able to get an agent to go for take out. This was going to be a tough one.

On the top of the laid back couch, Rufus sat with his own pad taking notes. "Let it all out." The naked mole rat encouraged.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I feel stunning." Dr. Heinzrich sang from atop his desk.

"You feel stunning." Ron accompanied, next to him, their arms over each other's shoulders.

"And entrancing."

"And entrancing."

The two parts joined. "Feel like running and dancing for joy, for I'm loved, by a pretty, wonderful boy!" The two let out a large chorus that filled the entire room.

"What is going on in here!" Twin voices of authority demanded loudly as they walked in.

"Breakthrough KP!" Ron exclaimed proudly.

"Oh Mr. Stoppable, I cannot thank you enough." Dr. Heinzrich gushed as he took Ron's handing, shaking it vigorously. "I have spent so much of my life dedicated to studies; I have neglected my inner child."

"Just happy I could help dude."

At this, Dr. Heinzrich stepped down from atop his desk, turning formally to Dr. Director. "Dr. Director, I must officially announce my retirement, which I think you will find I am well entitled to do given my age. You may send my last pay check as well as my pension to my address in the Bahamas."

"Remember dude, you have a pretty girl inside you!" Ron reminded as Dr. Heinzrich headed for the door.

"You're right! Oh I feel pretty." The doctor began singing again. "Oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and gay!"

The door silenced the senior psychologist as it shut behind him, leaving Kim Possible and Dr. Director to turn angrily back at Ron.

"What?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I see monkeys."

The junior head of the Global Justice department sighed as he held up another flash card. "And this?"

"Nacos."

"And this?" Another card.

"Monkeys stealing my naco! NO!" Ron leapt forward, grabbing the picture and holding it over his head as he fell on his knees to the ground. "Oh you maniacs! You ate it all. Darn you, darn you all to heck!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim Possible walked into the physical observation room, next to the junior head of the psychology department. Through the one way mirror, she and the doctor watched as Ron ran for his life on a treadmill turned all the way up to the maximum setting, all while monitors recorded his pulse rate, blood pressure, and the like.

"Uhh, excuse me. What's the point of this?" She asked uneasily, noting the exasperated look on Ron's face.

"No point." The doctor explained without even looking over at her. "I just wanted to wear him out before I have to go through another session."

"You can turn it down now!" Ron exclaimed from within the room. "I'm getting tired."

"There's got to be a way to turn this thing up more." The doctor mused aloud.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stupid … _gasp_… no good…._gasp_… PHD. _Gasp._ Must stand… for Physically Harmfully Deranged Maniacs." Ron struggled to collect his breath as he leaned in on Kim's shoulder as she led him back into the therapy room.

"Ron, that would be PHDM." She explained as he helped him down onto the couch.

"I just ran a marathon… _gasp_… in ten minutes. Give me…_gasp_… a break." Ron continued his labored breathing.

"Ron, what are you doing?" Kim asked as she sat down in the large chair to the side of the couch.

"At the moment?" Ron asked as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'm trying to sort up from down, and keep track of how many of you there are. If you'd all stop spinning, I could keep count better."

Kim had held her frustration in check up until this point, but she felt she had been more than exemplary in her understanding and decided enough was enough. Reaching out with her fore finger and thumb, she grabbed the end of Ron's ear and pinched it sharply, prompting a cry of pain from Ron as she brought him up off the couch and bringing him to stand up right.

"Ron, I am not one of the doctors here. You are playing games and messing around while there is a serious world crisis going on. And you always do this!" With that she released her hold on his ear, walking off to the side in frustration.

"I'm the one who…" but Ron was cut off.

"You always pretend that you're too stupid or too clumsy and I know you better than that Ron. I know this situation is a lot to deal with, and I'm here for you if you need me, but you're not even trying. You're just hiding."

Kim words shot down every response that Ron might try to craft to escape this situation. She had him trapped, and he knew that she was right.

"I know they're asking a lot of you Ron, but I also know that you can do this, if you just tried. Instead, you screw around and pretend that you can't do this, but you can Ron."

Ron let out a sigh in shame and defeat as he sat back down on the couch.

"That's easy for you to say KP. You're not the one with the dark side that's got the whole world hostage right now."

The look on Ron's face caused a wave of righteous shame to wash over Kim as she moved to sit down next to him, placing her hands on his shoulder.

"Ron…"

"I mean, I could handle mind control, or even some alternate me with a goatee from another dimension, but this isn't any of that. This is me. That is me out there, flooding villages with that stupid laugh."

"Ron, you're not Zorpox."

"Uhh, I don't know if you missed the physical similarities Kim, but I can tell you that we weren't separated at birth or anything. The Attitudinator just took what I already had and brought it up to the surface for everyone to see… especially you." Ron sunk even lower at this last point.

Kim paused as she carefully selected her words, sensing the man in front of her slipping away from his grasp.

"Ron, listen to me, ok." As she spoke, she pulled his head up until they were sitting face to face. "I am your best friend and your girlfriend and I take both of those very seriously. I know you better than you know yourself, and the Ron Stoppable I know could never, and did never hurt anyone of his own free will. Zorpox may have been inside you, but you, Ron Stoppable, are the one every day that keeps him locked up in his box. The Attitudinator took the choice out of your hands and let him out, but without that, you're the one that keeps him put away. I've seen you risk your life time and time again for complete strangers… and for me." At this, Kim sat down atop Ron's lap, her wrapping all the way around his shoulders. "You're way too wonderful a person to ever do what Zorpox has done. And I promise you, we are going to get through this, get through him, together."

Kim's words seemed to chase most of the pain away from Ron's face as he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her. For a moment, neither of the two of them said or did anything as Ron clung tightly to Kim for strength. As much as her words meant to him, as much as she meant to him, there was still something…

"So, I guess this means I'm going back under the watch." Ron joked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Can you hear me Ron?" Dr. Marshall, junior head of the psychology department, asked as he noted the slumber state that Ron had apparently lapsed into. This time, Dr. Director, Will Du and Kim were in the room to monitor the session.

"Yes." Ron replied.

"I need you to remember what happened the last time you were exposed to the Attitudinator." He instructed in a soft steady voice.

"I changed." Ron answered in his slumber.

"Yes. You were turned into a dangerous person."

"Zorpox." Ron answered.

Dr. Marshall nodded his head eagerly. "Yes, very good. You built a terrible weapon. Do you remember?"

"Yes."

"What did you build?"

"The Annihilator."

Dr. Marshall was slightly discouraged but maintained his composure. They were still on the right track. "You also built another device of destruction, did you not?"

"Yes."

"What was it called?" He asked eagerly.

"The Mega Weather Generator."

Dr. Marshall looked at his notes for a second. "Ron, did you build anything else?"

"No."

At this, the trio of observers looked at each other in confusion.

"Ron," Dr. Marshall paused. "Do you remember building a device called the Annihilation Wave?"

"No." Ron answered again.

Confusion endured.

"Why doesn't Ron remember?" Kim asked in a hushed whisper.

"Perhaps Zorpox removed his own memory using some other means?" Will Du speculated.

"Great, so all that for nothing." Kim let out a resigned sigh.

"Not necessarily. Ron may not remember, but he might be able to guess. If we can get him to think like Zorpox, he might be able reconstruct in his own mind what he would have done. At the very least, it could point us in the right direction."

"What?" Kim's mind homed in on the words 'think like Zorpox'. "There is no way…"

"Doctor, do it." Will Du ordered.

"Dr. Director!" Kim turned.

"Agent Du, this sort of thing should have been discussed before this procedure, not during it." Dr. Director disciplined.

"Ron, I need you to remember what you were like as Zorpox." Dr. Marshall instructed.

"No." Ron's head turned a bit as his eyes seemed to shutter.

"Ron, I need you to remember how Zorpox thought." The doctor went on.

"No." Ron twisted sharply again.

"Alright, this is over, right now." Kim's voice rose as she went over to doctor's side. "Wake him up now!"

"Agent Possible, you will restrain yourself." Will Du instructed.

"I need you to think like Zorpox." Dr. Marshall instructed, keeping his voice steady.

"No." Ron's voice was filled with unconscious terror as it seemed to shrivel back within itself.

"I agree with Miss Possible. End this now." Dr. Director ordered.

"I need to speak to Zorpox." Dr. Marshall insisted.

At this, Ron's eyes snapped open. Leaping up off the couch, he grabbed the doctor around the throat tightly as he forced the helpless hypnotist between himself and the trio of observers.

"Speaking." Zorpox announced.


	3. Out Of The Box

It was like something out of a twisted nightmare best left forgotten.

"Ron, let him go." Kim commanded. To her side, Dr. Director and Will Du stood ready for anything.

"Ron? Ron's not here right now, and I'm busy choking this old coot at the moment. Would you care to leave a message?" Zorpox grinned as he turned to his helpless hostage. "Funny thing about hypnosis Kim Possible, a subject can only be brought out of a trance by the voice that induced the trance in the first place. Guess that means someone won't be needing their larynx in tact much longer." At this, Zorpox tightened his grasp, prompting a pained gasp from Dr. Marshall.

"Let him go, Zorpox. You haven't been waiting this long for another chance at him." Kim tried to move so as to bring Zorpox's gaze directly upon herself.

"Oh don't worry Kimberly Ann, you and I will have our time together soon enough."

"Zorpox, my name is…"

"Special Agent Well Duh." Zorpox sneered at Will's formalness as the agent moved along side Kim. "Buzz off, the adults are talking here."

Will struggled poorly to hide his indignation as he began again. "I am a senior agent by rank and you will address me directly. Tell me what you know about the Annihilation Wave."

Zorpox merely turned back to Kim. "Please tell Agent Duh over there that I don't deal with errand boys. Now, I want out of here right now, or our dear friendly doctor here is going to have to start learning how to communicate through sign language." Zorpox punctuated himself by grasping even more firmly on the doctor's throat, causing him to gasp out in agony again.

"That's not happening." Dr. Director, having remained silent until this point, now moved up directly next to Kim Possible. "I'm in charge of this facility, and I can tell you you're not going anywhere."

"What do you know about the Annihilation Wave?" Will Du spoke up again, moving slowly across the room so as to flank Zorpox against the wall.

"The Annihilation Wave?" For the first time, Zorpox seemed to pause in his focus. His gaze seemed to drift off to the side as if in thought. "I would have had to have…" Zorpox seemed to mutter something silently to himself.

Not waiting for another opening, Kim moved over and grabbed Will's wrist. Aiming it directly across the room, Kim pressed the button to activate the twin cables that shot across the room. One hit Dr. Marshall on his shoulder while the other hit Zorpox's arm that had grabbed the doctor's throat.

The electrical surge moved across the cables and directly into both hostage taker and takee alike without mercy. As the two cried out in pain, Kim leapt across the room to tackle Zorpox to the ground.

"Ron, snap out of it!" Kim maintained her hold as she kept Ron pinned to the ground. For another thirty seconds, he struggled within her unyielding grip.

"I swear Kimberly Ann, when…. I…." Slowly, as if awaking from a bad dream, Ron's anger seemed to melt from his face, replaced by a deep confusion as his breathing settled. "KP?"

"Ron!" Kim relinquished her hold almost immediately. Realizing that he had awoken from his trance, Kim moved to help Ron to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Wha.. what just happened? Ron asked groggily. His question was answered as his eyes moved around the room towards Dr. Marshall's coughing form. As Ron's memory slowly returned to him, his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh god. Oh my… I'm so sorry dude. I… I… I need to use the restroom." Ron excused himself meekly as he ran out of the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

The question was punctuated by Will Du's upper body as it slammed up against the wall with a loud thud that echoed throughout the entire room. Kim's grip could have made diamonds out of coal as she held on to Will's forearms with fiery rage.

"Unhand me this ins…" BHAM! Will slammed against the wall again. The battered agent looked almost desperately to Dr. Director for aide, but she seemed to pretend not to notice, in spite of the fact that she was obviously looking directly at them.

"The next time you get any ideas about messing with my boyfriend's head, I want you to remember something, if he loses his head, you lose yours!"

Will endured another thrust against the wall before being dropped casually as Kim stormed out of the room after Ron. It took Will another second of indignation and checking himself to ensure that he remained unsoiled before he finally spoke up.

"Dr. Director. You cannot just stand there and ignore this. She just assaulted a Global Justice agent."

"Really? I must have missed that." Dr. Director seemed to muse almost innocently.

"Dr. Director, you cannot let this…"

"Du, drop it. That's an order."

"But…"

"Let. It. Go."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took Kim some time before she was able to catch up to Ron. He had indeed chosen to hide himself inside the male's lavatory but Kim wasn't about to let a trivial formality like that stand in her way, especially not now. After doing a quick scan with the Kimmunicator to ensure that Ron was alone in there, she opened the door to find Ron washing what she assumed to be tears from his face.

As Ron looked up, Kim's reflection in the mirror startled him aback. "KP! What are you doing in here? This is… this is…"

"I know what this is Ron, and I know we're alone in here. You can relax."

As anxiousness faded from Ron's features, they became replaced with hard lined determination. "KP, I am done."

"Ron…" Kim's features softened in response as her guilt worked its way up to her surface.

"I don't care what other tests Global Justice wants, they can forget it." Ron stated simply as he began pacing back and forth within the restroom.

"Ron…"

"I'm not giving them my temperature or my blood pressure; I absolutely, positively refuse to have anything to do with any more flash cards…"

"Ron…" Kim was beginning to get frustrated all over again.

"… and the next person who tells me I am getting sleepy while dangling a watch in front of my face is going to be swallowing their own teeth for dinner!"

"Ron!" Kim grabbed him by the shoulders as she brought his face directly to her own. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not good enough this time KP." Ron's voice began to shake as a tear began to work its way out from its hiding place behind his right eye. "Not this time. I have enough screws loose up here in my noggin, I don't need anyone else unscrewing anymore of them."

"I know." Kim's voice was soft and unchallenging, her emerald irises never once leaving Ron's gaze.

"I am not some lab rat or some human guinea pig. I mean sure, it was fun with the whole 'Ron Factor' but this is not my idea of a good time on a Saturday afternoon." Ron went on, even as more tears worked their way out from behind Ron's face, his voice still shaky, losing strength with each passing second.

"I understand." Kim maintained her tone of voice, as much for his sake as her own.

"And I… I… I hate the fact that you saw me like that." That was it. That was the last straw. With that, Ron's outer wall crumbled as he fell into Kim's tight embrace as he clung to her dearly for strength.

"I'm so sorry Ron." Kim spoke in to his shoulder. "I didn't know that would happen. I should never have pushed you into that. If you're really done, if you want to go home, I promise no one will stop you. I won't let them. If I have to kick Will Du and every other GJ agent's head in to a wall and bust you out of here, I swear I will."

Ron clung to her all the more tightly as her words echoed in his mind and heart before wiping clean his eyes as he pulled himself back enough from Kim to look her in the eye. "You're staying?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean…" Kim was cut off.

"Then I'm staying." Ron's voice carried surprising strength in its determination.

"Ron." Kim removed her right glove as she brought her hand up to his cheek. "You know you don't have anything to prove to me. What you've been through… I can't even imagine…"

"Every good superhero needs their sidekick." Ron replied with a grin.

"Actually, every good super hero needs their partner." Kim corrected. "Rule 101 in the superhero handbook."

"I thought that was never mix up your grapple gun that looks like a hair dryer with your hair dryer that looks like your grapple gun."

"That's rule 101B. And it was an honest mistake."

"Least I kept my pants on that time." Ron smiled at simpler times.

Kim shared in the brief moment of nostalgia with a like smile before speaking again. "I'm going to go talk to Dr. Director about an idea that I've got. You coming?"

"Give me a sec KP." Ron sniffled. "Gotta clean myself up first."

"Take your time." With that, Kim leaned in on her tip toes as she planted a much needed kiss on Ron's lips that he returned with great enthusiasm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will Du waited anxiously down the hall way from the restroom, clutching a file tightly in hand. If this plan was going to work, he knew that he needed to talk to…

The restroom door opened, prompting Will to look up, only to see Kim Possible emerging. Rather than risk another confrontation with her, he concealed himself as best he could around the corner of the hall. Fortunately, she wasn't looking for him, and so instead walked off in the opposite direction, allowing him to make his way towards the restroom.

Inside, he noted Stoppable in front of the sink, washing his face off. Will pretended to clear his throat so as to earn Ron's attention.

The look in Ron's face perfectly mirrored the one he had seen in Kim only minutes ago.

"Dude, whatever the hell you want, you'd better get it from someone else." Ron burned as he clenched a paper towel in his hands before tearing it to shreds.

"For what it's worth, I didn't know that you'd relapse like that." Will seemed to strain the words out of his mouth.

"If that's your idea of an apology, GJ should really invest in manner training for you senior jerks."

"I didn't say I was here to apologize. I stand by my decision."

The incredulousness on Ron's face was overwhelming before eventually giving way to grim acceptance. "You would."

"Stoppable, whether you realize it or not, you were onto something in that room."

"I wasn't in that room! Zorpox was." Ron's voice grew in frustration.

"Maybe so. Either way, I believe you were starting to mentally reconstruct your own actions. You may not be able to remember, but I bet Zorpox has a pretty good guess. He was thinking. Just before Kim Possible acted, I believe he was on the verge of remembering or concluding something of real value. Something that we might be able to use to save lives."

"Well sorry to burst you bubble dude, but Zorpox isn't here anymore, so I guess you won't get the chance to ask him."

"Actually, that depends on you." Will paused for effect. It was show time.

"What?" Ron already didn't like where this was going.

"We have a confiscated Attitudinator." Will stated calmly, his words already thick with implication.

"Oh no!" Ron stated matter of factly.

"We need it in order for you to stay under the influence for longer than hypnosis will permit."

"No. No. NO!"

"If Zorpox can recreate his own scheme, remap his own thought processes as it were, it might help us…"

"I must be speaking another language cause you're not hearing me: Not. In. Your. Life."

"We're talking about the fate of the world. Right now, the answers are somewhere in your head and if you can't get them out…"

"No." With that, Ron proceeded to throw his hands up over his ears as he began shouting "My naco has a first name, its B-U-E-N-O."

Will moved forward with a look of frustration as he pulled Ron's hands down, silencing him in the same act. "… then maybe Zorpox can."

Ron had held his anger in check more than long enough. His hands shot out, grabbing Will by the collar and lifting him up into the side of one of the stalls.

"Go… to hell." Ron stated coldly.

Will maintained his infuriating air of confidence as held up the folder he had so tightly been clutching in his hands. "Before I do, you might want to take a look at these."

For a moment, Ron considered absently taking the folder and flushing it and its contents down the toilet. But curiosity won out over rage as Ron took the folder in hand, dropping Will down while he opened it to examine it.

"The tsunami hit the coast minutes ago." Will explained. "We just got these satellite photos of the affected regions. I thought you should see for yourself."

The images within the folder, though not as graphic as Ron might have initially feared, were still powerful. Tons and tons of soil and forestry had been uprooted and spilled out over the towns in the affected area. Homes were damaged by the rubble, while others had been completely uplifted by the wave and reduced to floating debris to be carried back out to see.

Ron's imagination worked to Will's favor as it began to recreate this scene for Middleton or any number of other places that Ron had visited over the years. His creative processes could not help but to include the mad cackle of Zorpox echoing over the devastation. His mind envisioned his alter ego laughing up a storm as he worked feverishly within some dark lair on last weapon of mindless, merciless destruction.

"We still don't know how he did it." Will admitted quietly. "And we're running out of time. If we are going to do this, I need an answer now."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Unfortunately, we haven't found a sign of Shego's activity in weeks." Dr. Director relayed regretfully. "It's still a pretty big stretch that she would know anything useful anyway. From what you've told me, she didn't even know about Zorpox's plans to rebuild the Mega Weather Generator."

"She's the only other person who could." Kim argued as she walked alongside the director. "I know it's a stretch but it's the only other lead that we've got at the moment."

"Still no word from your associate?" Dr. Director inquired.

"No. Not a beep from Wade since he called us last."

"It's frustrating, isn't it?" Dr. Director asked rhetorically as she looked out over the command center. "Hundreds of agents and dozens of experts across the globe relaying and exchanging information instantly, and so far all we know is a whole lot of nothing."

"We've still got time." Kim tried, unconvincingly, to sound optimistic.

"I've got a feeling this one's going to be close." Dr. Director shared in Kim's pessimism.

"It will be unless we get some help."

Ron's voice startled Kim and Dr. Director. The pair turned around to see both Ron and Will Du standing side by side. It was another second before the pair explained their plan. Then followed another second of silence.

After that, the screaming started.

"WHAT?" Kim and Dr. Director's responses were simultaneous.

"Ron, we need to talk." Kim spoke through gritted teeth as she grabbed Ron by the arm, dragging him out of the room.

"Du, my office. Now!" Dr. Director's voice was even less pleasant then Kim's

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ron, I can't believe you. You have got to be the most… idiotic, most, most selfish person I know." Kim's reaction didn't surprise Ron one bit. That didn't make it any easier.

"Kim, this is my choice." Ron stated calmly.

"Oh, don't you give me that Ron Stoppable. Don't you dare look me in the eye and lie to me! Will got to you, didn't he? He said something that made you feel guilty, and now you want to punish yourself by going through with this."

"Kim, this could help us out."

"Help? We're in the middle of a world crisis Ron, bringing Zorpox into the mix is not helping! It's the equivalent of trying to clean up an oil spill with napalm and a flame thrower!" Kim's anger grew with each second.

"Maybe. Maybe not. What if he does know something? What if he can help us?"

"Ok Ron. Say you're right. Say Zorpox manages to remember how he built the Annihilation Wave, where he hid it, how to turn it off, all that useful stuff. You think he's going to tell anyone anything if we ask him nicely?"

"If he doesn't, you flip the switch, put him back in his box, and we're no worse off than we were." Ron offered simply.

"Don't you give me that." At this, Kim's anger seemed to triple. "Don't you dare make it sound like that's it. Like that's all there is to it."

"Kim, Zorpox will be locked in a cell when you question him. He won't be going anywhere."

"That's not my problem. My problem is that you are going to be in there with him. Maybe that doesn't bother you, but it scares the hell out of me!" Kim admitted finally. That was it. That was the last of her straws. And with it, came another round of tears that made Kim even madder.

This time, Ron felt guilt's weight as it bore down on his chest. "Kim, I can't let him hurt anyone else. If this helps at all, if this helps even one person, saves just one life, then it's worth it."

Kim felt her rage subside, being tracked in its wake by frustration. "Don't do this. We'll find another way." Kim's tone changed from a lecture to a plea. "We'll use the hypnosis again."

"Won't work. If Zorpox does come back out, he'll just stall until I wake up again."

Kim finally moved directly up to Ron, grabbing him hard by the arms. "Don't do this. Don't ask me to watch you turn into that monster again. I can't do it. I swear I'll never forgive you."

The words hit both Kim and Ron alike with mutual surprise, and devastation. The last of Ron's strength flowed out from his body like fading vapor, even as Kim found herself taken aback by horror at her own words.

"I'm sorry." Ron said finally.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Absolutely not." Dr. Director stated firmly.

"Director, with all due respect, this is Stoppable's decision."

"Du, I'm missing one eye. I'm not blind." Will's detachment from this plan seemed to infuriate the director all the more. "Letting that nutcase inside my facility is the exact opposite of what I call a good plan. You expect me to pull agents from this investigation just so that we can guard the person responsible for this whole catastrophe in the first place?"

"Ma'am, in the hypnosis session earlier, I believe that Stoppable, or Zorpox for that matter, was on to something. He seemed like he was on the verge of… something. Maybe just an inkling, or premonition, or maybe just a hunch. But something. Some kind of lead that might give us more answers than we have."

"You expect me to risk the security of my facility on the remote possibility of a premonition or a hunch? Out of the question." Dr. Director folded her arms at this.

"Director, with all due respect, this is Stoppable's decision." Will repeated.

"Wrong! This is my facility; the Attitudinator is locked up in an evidence locker that requires my authorization, which makes it my decision."

"Ma'am, you know that we know less than nothing about the Annihilation Wave. Right now, we can only speculate as to its function. For all we know, the eruption of Mt. Scarem was triggered separately somehow, and the Annihilation Wave could be some sort of crippling computer virus that was uploaded onto the net itself. We need more intel and if Stoppable can't provide us with any answers, then maybe Zorpox can."

"Or he could waste our time and mislead us, assuming that he doesn't escape while we're running around, trying to guess whether he's telling the truth or not."

"Ten hours." Will Du spoke as if he was bargaining the price on a used car. "We will take every security precaution imaginable. If we can't learn anything from Zorpox in that time, we pull the plug, switch Stoppable back, and be no worse off than we are."

Dr. Director paused in frustration as she considered the plan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I still don't know why you agreed to this, Stoppable." Dr. Director watched as Ron was secured tightly onto the table within the cell. As his restraints were tightly fastened, a lab technician secured the Attitudinator over his head.

"Call it a chance at redemption." Ron stated sullenly. "Kim still won't show?" Ron asked dejectedly.

"I'm afraid not." Dr. Director placed her hand around Ron's in consolation. Kim had refused to be anywhere near the cell when this took place. As far as Ron knew, she had left the facility completely.

"We're ready." A technician announced.

Ron took a deep breath. He felt his breathing intensify, and thought he might actually hyperventilate right then and there.

"Stoppable, just say the word, and this ends right now." Dr. Director offered almost hopefully. "God knows no one could think less of you."

"I made my choice." Ron's words were a ratty whisper as he put on the best brave face he could, and the most horrified than the director had ever seen.

Against her better judgment, she nodded affirmatively to the technician as everyone began to clear the cell.

"Wait."

Kim came rushing past several technicians, her hand reaching out to grab Ron's waiting palm desperately.

"Kim." Tears began to form in Ron's already wet eyes.

"I promised I'd get you through this, and that is a promise I am going to keep. I swear. Do you hear me? I swear." Kim's voice was firm and determined.

Try as he could, Ron couldn't speak. His lungs were too busy chocking to speak. Instead, he nodded, grabbing hold of her hand tightly as he looked up at the technician.

"Do it."

With a solemn nod, the technician moved to activate the appropriate controls. At once, the headset came to life. The technician moved to urge Kim away, but she would not release her grip on Ron's hand.

The machine began to beep and buzz loudly, shaking vigorously as a red glow seemed to emanate from the device down to engulf Ron's entire body. Though he did not cry out, Ron's eyes grew wide with fear as the device did its work.

And then, just like that, it was over.

The device powered down, the glow faded away, and Ron's eyes fell shut.

Kim could feel his grip loosen in her palms, and relinquished hold. Cautiously, she stepped outside the cell along with the technician while on the other side, Dr. Director activated the control, prompting a green wall of solid energy to appear, sealing the cell shut.

From within the cell, Ron began to stir. A low moan escaped his lips as he shook his head slightly. Slowly, his eyes opened, taking in his surroundings, before finally turning to his side, and the audience of onlookers outside his cell, his gaze finally settling down on Kim.

"Ron?"

A wide grin crossed his face as he initiated a light chuckle, which slowly became a laugh, and from that laugh, "Booyahahahahahahahaha!"


	4. Face To Face

Author's Note: Well this is shaping up to easily be the most popular solo project I've done yet. Lord knows I'm certainly enjoying myself. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, it wasn't easy to write. As always, write a review, get a response. Special thanks to all those who have reviewed already. I can't tell you how much your positive encouragement and genuine comments have meant to me. It's nice to know at least some other people are enjoying this as much as me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the monitor, the figure lay still, relaxing with his hands behind his head on his pillow in his cell. Casually, he nodded his head up and down in rhythm with a tune that he hummed aloud, his right foot taping in sync as well.

From within the control room, Kim Possible, Will Du and Dr. Director looked on at the image being transmitted via the camera in the detention area of the eerily calm figure of Zorpox as he laid peacefully, his eyes closed as if in rest, a sickly grin across his face.

"It's strange. From the video tape, I expected him to be cackling up a storm, and bouncing off the cell walls." Dr. Director replied in a reserved tone. "Instead, he's so calm, it's like he's not even locked up."

"I don't think he is." Kim observed. "At least, not in his mind."

There was a tense silence before Will Du made an observation.

"What's that tune he's humming?"

It took Kim a second to force herself to answer. "It's the Camp Wannaweep Cheer."

For a minute longer, there was silence as the trio watched the otherwise unmoving figure from within the cell. Finally, Kim brought herself to focus on another priority that was on her mind.

"So how exactly are you going to make sure that he doesn't get out of that cell?"

"Not to worry Miss Possible." Will tried to contain his enthusiasm at his chance to show off. "A cold couldn't get out of this facility, let alone that mad man. That energy wall blocking his cell is strong to enough to stop a rampaging triceratops."

"And that's assuming that you have a rampaging triceratops around to test it on." Kim observed sarcastically.

"Actually, we do. We captured DNAmy and several of her experiments just last week." Dr. Director interjected.

"Oh."

"Continuing." Will reasserted his tone. "That cell is controlled by a GJ palm scanner. Only someone with authorized prints and a DNA scan can shut down that field. The room is also guarded by a special panic feature. In the event that something goes wrong, the entire room will be flooded in seconds with enough gas to put down an Olympic athlete for hours."

"Keep going." Kim was listening very intently.

Will struggled to hide his indignation as he went on. "Well assuming that it was possible for him to get out of that, the entire facility is already observing lock down protocols. Every exit out of this facility has already been sealed except for the main one which is under heavy guard. In the event of an escape, blast doors will seal shut throughout the facility. Zorpox couldn't get ten feet out of the detention area before being trapped behind one. Every one of them can only be opened by a GJ palm scanner and the proper authorization just like in the cell."

"What about the ventilation ducts?" Kim asked.

"Monitored by a laser grid." Dr. Director spoke. "If any one of the lasers is tripped, the entire system is flooded with gas."

"There are at least a hundred agents on guard between Zorpox and the only way out of here. Every one of them is armed and equipped to subdue him without injury. Trust me, he's not going anywhere."

Kim was unconvinced. She turned back to the monitors where the frighteningly content picture of Zorpox remained unchanged. She knew that as long as they were in the control room, they could see him, but he couldn't see them. Somehow, this did nothing to ease her mind. Finally reaching down to a microphone that was connected to the cell, she spoke.

"Ron?"

The figure in the cell remained unmoving save for his continual humming.

"Ron, can you hear me?"

Still no response.

"Zorpox."

Kim watched as the sickly grin on Zorpox's face grew even wider. Zorpox stopped humming, his eyes opening as he propped himself sitting upright on his bed in the cell.

"Kay Pee." He almost hummed in a low tone.

Kim was taken aback momentarily from the microphone. She wasn't surprised as Will Du moved for the microphone.

"Zorpox, this is Speci…"

"Special Agent Well Duh. Put Kimberly Ann back on." Zorpox replied as if ordering an underlying around.

"I am in charge of this operation; you will address me when I speak to you." Du's tone rose to the challenge.

Zorpox merely shrugged off Du's insistence, pretending to observe the features of his cell, even as he casually let out. "Out there, in here."

"What?" Will's patience was fading rapidly.

"'Out there, in here.'" Zorpox reiterated. "Pretty lame as far as pick up lines go if you ask me, but hey, I suppose I can't argue with results." Zorpox taunted, the entire time, his voice maintained an eerie calm. He wasn't talking to Will.

"What do you know about the Annihilation Wave?" Kim asked, grabbing the microphone from Will.

"Oh Kim. It's been so long since we saw each other, therapy notwithstanding, and all you want to talk about is business." Zorpox feigned disappointment. "Come on, don't you want to catch up? Ask me how I'm doing. Maybe kick back and talk about the good times."

"The last time I saw you, you tried to rip the world in half." Kim replied frankly.

"Hmm. Good times." Zorpox grinned. "I'm fine by the way. Of course, you have a whole new set of problems now don't you?"

"Do you know anything or not?" Kim asked frustrated.

"Well, gosh Kim, it's just so hard to think under pressure." Zorpox rubbed his forehead in pretense. "I know. Why don't you come in here with me? We can have a study session. You know, one of our late night sessions."

Kim said nothing. Instead, she bit down on her lip, sighing as she blinked heavily in frustration. She knew what was coming next.

"Just the two of us, your parents downstairs, you in your tight little white tee that barely conceals your bra. Low cut jeans that show those darling little undies with the hearts on them." Zorpox closed his eyes as if mentally undressing Kim right there. "Hmmm, that sweat dripping down your neck, even though the AC isn't really broken. Quite a picture, don't you think so, Will?"

At this, both Kim and Dr. Director turned to the special agent.

"Oh geeze." Kim turned away in disgust even as the agent turned away to protect himself.

"I bet some good little soldier knows how to stand up and salute a lady, don't they Du?" Zorpox's voice mocked through the microphone.

In frustration, Dr. Director moved over to the microphone. "Zorpox, you are now speaking to Dr. Director, head of this facility."

"Ahh, good. Listen doc, I need to ask, what's the policy on conjugal visits?"

"You will refrain from all further crude behavior or we will remove your bed and leave you to sit in the corner of your cell. Is that clear?"

Zorpox didn't respond. Instead, he seemed to ponder something before finally saying "You know, I'm getting kinda tired of talking to disembodied voices. You have anything to say, you know where to reach me." With that, he proceeded to lie back down on his bed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Will, we need to talk."

Kim's declaration caught Will Du by surprise. Never the less, he followed her out of the monitor room while Dr. Director remained behind.

They made it fifteen feet down the corridor and well out of Dr. Director's sight before Will felt himself slammed against the concrete wall once again and raised up off the floor.

"Let's get a few things straight!" Kim's voice burned with the wrath of a woman scorned. "One, if you ever point your… soldier at me again, I will break it off."

Will tried not to let out a pitiful gulp.

"Second, I am holding you personally responsible for Ron's safety until this is over. If he comes out of this in anything other than pristine condition, if he has a scratch, a bump, black eye, missing freckle, even a wart that wasn't there before he went in that cell, I swear, no archeologist in the world will be able to identify your remains. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Will tried not to sound too terrified in his response, as Kim lowered him back down. Her gaze burned into him for a few seconds longer before she turned, and headed straight for the detention area.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim's footsteps were as light as air. The sound of the metallic door opening, admitting her entrance, on the other hand, was louder than she would have cared for as it quickly but loudly opened, admitting her entrance. Inside, the room was brightly illuminated by the emerald light of the cell force wall.

"KP? Is that you?"

The familiar voice made Kim's heart flutter, but she forced it down. Inside the cell, Ron seemed to be desperate with concern as he noticed her.

"Oh Kim, thank god. Listen, I don't know why but the Attitudinator wore off. I'm me again, and I remember everything. I know where the Annihilation Wave is."

Kim didn't say a word. She just moved herself so as to stand directly in front of the cell as she watched him speak.

"Kim, did you hear me? We've got to get to Mt. Scarem. The Annihilation Wave is going to send some kind of wave or something into the Earth's core that's going to trigger every volcano on the planet. We've got to stop it."

Kim still didn't say anything. Her expression remained hardened.

"KP? What's wrong with you? We've got to save the world."

Kim paused for another few seconds before speaking again. "Drop the act, Zorpox."

The feigned look of desperation on Zorpox's face disappeared, quickly replaced by a wide grin of amusement.

"Hehehe, sorry. I just get so bored in here." Zorpox explained.

"It's been a long day, and I'm in a bad mood." Kim began.

"Ooh, tough." Zorpox observed. "Did you practice that one in the mirror for a few seconds?"

"You're going to tell me what I want to know, or I will shove you back inside Ron and then personally slag every Attitudinator on this planet till you're nothing but a bad memory."

"Oh yeah." Zorpox seemed excited. "That's it. Get all riled up. Scare me. Threaten to hurt me. Come on, Ron's not the only one with a dark side around here. Let's see what you've got."

"Ron doesn't have a dark side." Kim retorted.

"Well, I don't know how to tell you this Kim, but I'm not just his grumpy half."

"You're a freak. An accident." Kim began. "What's left over of Ron's exposure to the Attitudinator. Without that machine, you don't even exist."

"Oh I exist Kim." Zorpox maintained his calm the entire time, his voice more of an eerie whisper. "Truth is, I'm always there, with him and you. I'm the part he just doesn't like to show, the part that he is embarrassed about. But every time you kiss, hold hands, stare into each others eyes, I'm there with the both of you."

"Earlier, you used the same words Ron said to me that night we stopped Drakken's Diablo scheme." Kim changed tactics.

"Heh, 'out there, in here.' You know, for as long as he rehearsed how he was going to tell you how he felt, you'd think he could have been more eloquent than that." Zorpox mused.

"So, you remember everything that he does?" Kim asked.

"Oh yeah. It's all up here." Zorpox tapped his forehead. "We're both using the same brain; I just know how to use it better than he does."

"If you remember everything he knows, what doesn't he remember everything you know?" Kim asked finally.

"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want to. Maybe he's too scared to remember how much fun we had together." Zorpox offered.

"Ron would never enjoy what you do." Kim argued flatly.

"Hehe, if you say so." Zorpox leaned in closer to the force field. "Answer me this though: who was the most famous of all the angels?"

Kim paused at the question before dismissing it as an obvious distraction attempt. Instead, she changed her line of question.

"You mentioned Mt. Scarem as being where you hid the Annihilation Wave. Since I now know that's where it isn't, why don't you tell me where it is?" Kim poked.

Zorpox didn't respond at first. Instead, he narrowed his gaze at Kim almost in pensiveness before observing "You know, you're not fooling anyone. I mean sure, puberty did you nothing but favors and you've certainly expanded your reputation what with saving the world and being captain of the cheer leaders, but in the end, you're still just the same shy little girl no one wanted to sit with at lunch in pre-school."

"Not true." Kim retorted with a triumphant smirk. "There was one guy who would sit with me."

"Oh right." Zorpox feigned surprise. "And now the super hero and her pet are in love. All flowers and kisses." Zorpox paused, leaning in against the side of his cell as he spoke again. "But, doesn't it ever freak you out that the guy who you're probably going to lose yourself too is the closest thing to family that you could ever get?"

Zorpox's face was one of mock disgust before continuing. "Man, 'I'm in love with my best friend who might as well be my brother, and his evil alter ego is trying to kill me.'" Zorpox summarized before pondering. "Hmm, I wonder if Springer would be interested?"

Kim refused to give Zorpox the satisfaction of a disgusted look before she went on. "You think it matters what you say? When this is over, I will personally be the one to shove that Attitudinator on your head, and turn you off like a bad movie."

"And then what? You'll live happily ever after? Just you and your man?" Zorpox questioned.

"I was thinking of something like that." Kim admitted.

"Well, I will tell you one thing, I am looking forward to the honeymoon." Zorpox grinned.

Kim still refused to give Zorpox any further satisfaction as she simply walked out of the cell.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Du, I do not need to remind you that you will compose yourself professionally at all times during the course of this investigation."

"No Ma'am." Will answered smartly as Dr. Director eyed him narrowly.

"Good. Now then," Dr. Director began again as she sat down at her desk. "I am officially informing you that I am pulling the plug on this in two hours."

Will's shock was visible to all, and gave Dr. Director a certain degree of satisfaction. "Dr. Director, with all due respect, our analysis of Zorpox classifies him as an Alpha level intellect. Breaking him psychologically could take hours, in which case I am going to need every second of the ten hours that I asked for."

"Well you've got two. Deal with it." Dr. Director stated simply.

"Director…" Du was cut off.

"Du, this entire operation is going on against my better judgement. If Stoppable hadn't agreed to it, this would have ended before it began. Now I suggest you make use of every second of the two hours that you get before I come to my senses and put an end to this right now. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So you're saying that you don't think the eruption was unnatural in any way?" Wade asked as the images of two different professors from differing universities appeared on separate halves of one of his computer skins.

"Well my team has been studying the Mt. Scarem volcano for the entire academic year. We've been hoping for an eruption all year." The image of the first professor admitted. "I can't tell you how interesting this has made our school year."

"What about you, Dr. Daimler?" Wade turned to the other image.

"Well," the professor began "our models for predicting volcanic eruptions are still years away from being perfected, though don't tell our sponsors that, but frankly, by our calculations, Mt. Scarem has been overdue for an eruption for about a decade."

"Are you sure?" Wade seemed almost discouraged.

"Well, fairly sure." The professor admitted. "Of course, a decade isn't really that long on a geological scale.

Wade sighed. "Thank you doctor. Doctor." With that, Wade cancelled the calls, turning both lives images dark. There had to be an answer somewhere. There just had to be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The metal detention doors opened as Will Du stepped inside the holding cell. Inside, Zorpox gave him a silent stare as he moved in front of the force field.

"Stoppable." Will offered as a greeting.

Zorpox merely chuckled. "Agent Duh."

"Or should I call you Zorpox?" Will asked sarcastically.

"Well, it does have a better ring to it, but personally, I was kinda thinking you should start calling me Master." Zorpox grinned.

"Pretty bold claim, considering that you're locked up in that cage, and I'm out here." Will smirked triumphantly.

"So?" Zorpox asked as he moved closer to the cell field separating the two. "You've got no leverage and nothing to bargain with. If I help you, you get what you want and you shove me back inside and bring Stoppable back. If I don't, you shove me back inside and bring Stoppable back anyway. The way I see it, I might as well just sit back and enjoy the attention."

"What attention?" Will countered. "No one knows you're here. As far as the world is concerned, Mt Scarem's eruption was entirely natural and Zorpox is just a rumor created to embarrass Drakken. You might as well not exist."

"Ooh, trying to attack my ego, now are we Duh?" Zorpox seemed bored. "Don't they teach you Global Justice types any better than that?"

"If you want to waste my time, I'll just leave you in here until we put you back where you belong." Will came back.

"In which case, you're a failure, yet again." Zorpox smiled. "Another job well done by special agent Well Duh."

Will paused a moment before turning around, moving towards the detention doors.

"Leaving already?" Zorpox asked, pretending to be hurt.

"You're not the one I want." Will declared.

"Is that so?" Zorpox just rolled his eyes.

"The last time you were out, you only had minutes after being taken back to Drakken's lair before Kim Possible showed up to stop you. You couldn't have had enough time to build a third weapon capable of world domination which means you must have found it inside Drakken's lair. He's the one I want and he has been all along." Will declared with conviction as he turned back towards Zorpox.

Zorpox said nothing at first as he eyed Will squarely. Then suddenly, the mad villain burst into roaring laughter as he prompted himself against the cell walls, holding himself up. "Oh please. Hahahaha! Is… is this the part where I'm supposed to shout 'Drakken could never have built a weapon as amazing as the Annihilation Wave' and then spill my guts and tell you all about it, just so that I can prove you wrong." Zorpox pretended to wipe a tear of laughter from his eye. "Oh, good one. What else have you got?"

Will bit his tongue in frustration before speaking again. "It must be a living nightmare to be trapped inside Stoppable while he goes around the world, doing good deeds, all the while you have to watch every step of the way. It's gotta be an agony." Will bit back.

"Man, eats you up, doesn't it. Watching him and that cheer leader get all that glory and media, being called heroes. Anyone ever call you a hero?" Zorpox asked.

"I do my job." Will replied simply.

"Oh right, you're 'job.'" Zorpox emphasized mockingly. "Senior Agent by rank of Global Justice. Man, must be sweet. You fly around the world, travel to exotic places, save the day, play hero. Man, with a job like that, you'd think the chicks would be all over you, but… no. Nope. No, she still goes for the blonde dork with no brains, no ambition, and no talent."

Will raised his eyebrows, biting down the urge to say anything that Zorpox could use as he went on.

"You know, that's got to be the real torture right there." Zorpox continued. "Watching her stick up for him, coddle to his every need, pull him by the strings and manage to make a bigger celebrity out of him for his minor accomplishments than anything you ever did. Meanwhile, she just loves to brush those fingers of hers through his blonde hair."

Will remained silent, struggling to keep his frustration in check. His silence was all the encouragement Zorpox needed.

"But hey, at least things are looking up now, right? I mean, here I am, stuck in this cell, probably making Dr. Director reconsider the benefits of using freelance agents with evil alter egos. Meanwhile, she's out there right now in your facility, all lonely and vulnerable, just waiting for the first pair of big, strong arms to wrap around her and swoop her off her feet."

Will remained silent as he glared grudgingly at Zorpox.

"Pretty smart plan you had there. Only problem, how do you get rid of me without bringing the dork back?" Zorpox hushed a whisper at this last question.

Will's face remained firm and unflinching as he spoke. "There are ways."

Zorpox cracked another grin as he leaned in. "I faked a heart attack…"

"… I opened the cell to check on you. In my anxiousness, I forgot to alert medical teams." Will continued.

"I attacked you, so you 'defended' yourself. Kinda old, but then I suppose most classics are." Zorpox mused.

"I'd be playing right into your hands, wouldn't I?" Will asked.

Zorpox merely rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh. "You couldn't take me anyway." With that, Zorpox turned away, stepping away from the force field and Will.

"Don't be so sure." Will returned, as he carefully stepped closer and closer to the cell door.

"Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk is cheap. Let's see what kind of man of action you really are." Zorpox turned his head to see Will stepping closer and closer to the force field.

"You might just get to find out." Will replied.

Zorpox turned to see Will standing an inch from the force field wall. The tension between them was almost enough to crack the entire facility. "Come on, Will. Let's see what kind of a pair you got."

For a minute, there was absolute silence as Zorpox starred sternly back at Will. Both seemed to be expecting action from the other.

"Another time." With that, Will turned around and walked out of the detention area.

"Oh, you can count on that." Zorpox assured.


	5. Revelations

Author's Note: From the bottom of my heart, I want to extend deep thanks to all those who have offered reviews and/or honest critques. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me, and inspired me to finish this chapter a day ahead of my planned release date. As always, write a review, get a response. And please, enjoy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Our agents have already explored a two mile radius from the location of your old base, and they haven't found anything." Will continued his interrogation. From within the force field, the figure of Zorpox remained unflinching and unmoving, as it had for the last hour.

"You must have a partner other than Shego to have hidden the Annihilation Wave for you. Someone to do your dirty work while you've been away. You didn't have enough time after Possible showed up to have moved the Annihilation Wave by yourself."

Still, Zorpox said nothing.

"Answer me!" Will's frustration finally took over. "You answer me, or I will leave both you and Stoppable to rot in that cell for the rest of your natural lives."

Still, Zorpox remained unmoving. Not even a grin. His eyes remained fixed forward, his hands at rest behind his back.

"Tell me something. Anything." Will strained his fists, resisting the urge to attempt to punch right through the force field. Yet still, Zorpox remained still as a statue.

Finally, in fatigue, Will gave up and stormed out of the detention area, leaving the metallic doors to shut behind him.

"Just a little while longer." Zorpox assured himself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Possible. Possible." Will called out as he chased after Kim as she stormed through the halls.

"Not now Will. I'm in no mood." Kim's spirits had only worsened after her confrontation with Zorpox. She had little patience for anything or anyone at the moment, especially Will. It wasn't that she had something better to do, but somehow, storming off through the halls as if she were in a hurry helped make her feel like she was doing something else besides waiting helplessly for the moment when they could switch back Ron.

"Possible. Kim, would you please stop and listen to me?" Will's voice took a tone of desperation.

Upon hearing him use her first name, Kim finally stopped and turned about to stare Will in the eye.

"You've got thirty seconds."

Will wasted ten working up the courage to finally explain "I need your help… with Zorpox."

The lock of incredulousness on her face was over powering as she turned away from Will and began storming off towards nowhere once again.

"Possible, he won't speak to me anymore." Will explained as he followed hastily after her.

"Well, count yourself lucky." Kim bit back.

"Kim, we still don't know anything."

"Well that's your problem." Kim retorted. "You wanted him, now you got him. You deal with him."

"He won't let me. He just stands there, frozen like a sculpture."

"Well, what did you expect? That he'd spill his guts just because we asked nicely. Don't you think he knows that if he revealed that he knew anything important, we'd just switch him back with Ron right away and then ask Ron?"

Will stopped in his tracks as he pondered this revelation. As loathe as he was to admit it, he hadn't ever even thought of that.

"Kim, he won't talk to me, but I'm betting he'll talk to you." Will offered as he caught back up to her.

"Well, there's one problem with that theory, I absolutely refuse to talk to him." Kim stated flatly.

"Look, I'm painfully aware of Zorpox's ability to twist and distort things with his words, but we're running out of time. In less than a half an hour, Zorpox is being switched back."

"Well, there's the best news I've heard all day." Kim stated in no uncertain terms.

"Kim." Will finally took the initiative to grab Kim by the arms, forcing her to stop long enough to talk to her directly, face to face.

"Will, let me go right now, or I will put you in a hospital bed for the next year." Kim's words were cold as ice.

"Kim, I know you don't like me. But Ron made this choice. He put himself on the line so that we could have this chance. Don't let that be for nothing."

"Will, take your hands off me, now." Kim instructed again.

Will relented, drawing his hands away and stepping back with his palms flattened and raised in surrender.

Kim paused, fuming as she thought for another second before finally turning around. "Which way is the detention area again?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wade Load, this room is a mess!" The maternal voice of outrage announced even as the young super genius worked tirelessly on his computers.

"Mom, I'm in the middle of a crisis." Wade insisted desperately as he triple checked more data.

"You're darn right you are buster. I'm going to have a heart attack." Mrs. Load insisted as she took in the mind numbing horror of a disaster that her son had labeled as his room. "Look at this place. Your comics are everywhere; you've got printer paper all over the floor…" Mrs. Load let out a terrified gasp as she spoke "and your socks are melting into leftover tuna on my carpet!"

"But mom…" Wade insisted pitifully.

"No 'buts'. You will clean this room now, or you'll never leave it for the rest of your life!"

"MOM!"

"NOW!"

And with that, the matter had been decided. The authority of the house stormed out, leaving Wade to sigh with a resigned look of defeat as he began cleaning. He knew he had some time before another of the professors he had been in touch with got back to him with more data.

Wade started to collect up all the print outs littering across his floor and moved to start clearing his comics. As he did, his eyes settled upon an issue of The Villains League of Evil Villains lying amidst its numerous counter parts that caught his attention. As he picked up the graphic novel, his gaze focused intently on its cover.

His breathing suddenly intensified as his trembling fingers moved across its pages, his eyes scanning them with unyielding precision.

"Oh no." Wade's voice was a trembling whisper.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The metal detention doors clanked open again to announce Kim Possible's entrance. The sight awaiting her sent a chill across her spine.

"Nice look, don't you think?" Zorpox motioned to his skin, which had completely regained its light blue color from before. Kim strode forward in front of the cell, and Zorpox returned his trademark grin.

"So, you just couldn't stay away." Zorpox taunted.

"Just wanted to let you know, you're all out of time. You're going back and Ron is taking your place."

"Typical." Zorpox thought aloud. "Loser always did have to have everything done for him. Never could do anything just for himself. Always had to be someone else getting him motivated to do anything. Like that time he went to the rain forest to get that stupid flower and save you from vanishing into the wind. That reminds me, where were you when he was risking his life going through all that hassle to find some dumb orchid?"

Kim didn't answer. She knew that there was no point to.

"Oh right, getting all cuddly and nervous with monkey boy. Appreciate that by the way."

"Not my finest moment." Kim admitted.

"Then there was that time you locked me in the closet so you could spend the Spirit Dance with him. That was nice too." Zorpox went on.

"Ok, so I'm not perfect." Kim admitted neutrally. "You've made your point. Are you done?"

"Well I suppose I should also mention the tracking chip you've got on me." Zorpox decided.

"How did…" Kim bit her lips shut but realized it was too late as she shut her eyes in frustration, wishing she could take her words back.

"Yes!" Zorpox clapped his hands together once in triumph as he began giggling. "Hehahahaha, I knew it. I knew that it had to be there. You know, even Ron was smart enough to figure that Wade would have him chipped, but you know what kept him from putting two and two together; he told himself that his best friend in the whole world, which I guess is supposed to be you, would tell him if she knew anything about it." Zorpox just laughed.

"It wasn't my idea." Kim defended herself feebly. "I only used it in emergencies."

"Oh no, Kim." Zorpox assured. "You don't have to explain yourself. I can totally understand. I mean after all, it's not wise to let out a puppy out without a leash."

"Ron is not some pet! He is my best friend and my boyfriend…" Kim began, shouting in defiance.

"And you take those very seriously." Zorpox finished her sentence. "So that must mean you know him better than he knows himself." Zorpox paused for effect. "But do you think you know him better than I do."

Kim glared at Zorpox with a look that could have frozen entire oceans. "There is nothing you can tell me about Ron Stoppable that I don't know."

"Oh really." Zorpox just smiled at the challenge. "So then maybe you can explain what his fascination is with rodents? I mean, it's not enough that he keeps one for a pet, he's got to run around dressed up like one too?"

"The Fearless Ferret?" Kim suddenly became uneasy. She could sense that Zorpox was trying to tell her something, but he knew it wouldn't be as easy as him simply coming out and saying it.

"Oh Kim, you know you never really did pay attention to him." Zorpox chided. "I mean even a retarded, blind monkey could have spotted that stupid love sick look on his face when you were busy locking eyes with that inflatable boyfriend of yours. And you know what really makes me sick every time I think about it." A snarl worked its way across Zorpox's face as he went on. "Is that he probably would have just smiled and politely stepped aside for that jerk."

"And that's where I know something about Ron that you don't. You see you're right, Ron probably would have stepped aside, but not because he's a buffoon, or a dork, but because that's exactly the sort of wonderful person he is."

"You say 'wonderful person', I say 'total chump'. I'd have kidnapped Eric, used him a human guinea pig for all my worst doomsday inventions, and mailed you his ashes in a jar."

"Oh I believe it, but not Ron. He's nothing like you, and maybe you're right. Maybe I don't deserve him. But I'll let him make that judgment, not you."

"Hehehe." Zorpox took an amused expression. "You make it sound like he'd ever leave you. We both know he doesn't have the spine for that."

Kim paused for a moment, not to absorb Zorpox's words, but instead to realize the truth.

"I've listened to you for long enough. I've let you distract me, taunt me, try to hurt me, but guess what, fun's over. You're going away now."

Zorpox paused, his grin fading into a stone like resolve. "You don't think I'm just going to sit back for that."

"Not seeing a lot of other options for you, what with the force fields, the big doors, the armed guards everywhere and what not. Too bad, I guess you won't get to see your fireworks go off or whatever you've got planned."

"Been looking forward to it all day. Still am." Zorpox replied confidently.

"Don't get your hopes up. Ron is coming back, and he and I are going to do what we do best; save the world."

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

As if on cue, Will Du and two armed GJ agents walked into the detention area, one of which carried the Attitudinator in hand.

"I don't have to." Kim smirked. "I just have to wait for a few more agents and the techs to get here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"They're moving along with the procedure." The officer informed as he viewed in on the monitor in the detention room.

"Keep an itchy trigger finger over that panic button." Dr. Director instructed. "I'd rather gas everyone and have everyone wake up with headaches then let that lunatic out."

"Yes ma'am."

"Dr. Director, you have an urgent call." Another agent announced. The Director was annoyed at being called away at such an important juncture.

"Tell them to call back."

"It's Team Possible's wiz kid. He says it's urgent." The agent explained uneasily.

Dr. Director let out a sigh as she moved over to a spare monitor, activating the necessary controls to forward the message to the screen.

On the screen, Wade was gasping for air and spare breaths as he spoke.

"Can't… reach… Kim. What's… wrong?"

"She's in the detention area. Its signal shielded as a safety precaution. Take a moment and tell me what's wrong." Dr. Director was taken aback by the panicked young man on the screen before her.

"The Annihilation Wave." It took all of Wade's breath to utter the sentence.

"You found it?" Dr. Director's adrenaline rose.

"Issue seventy five of The Villains League of Evil Villains. Zorpox builds the Annihilation Wave, an underground missile that burrows through bedrock and triggers one volcanic eruption after another across the globe!" Wade explained frantically, holding up the aforementioned comic in hand.

"You're saying Zorpox duplicated the Annihilation Wave from the comic?" Dr. Director asked.

"No, I'm saying that's where he got the idea!"

"I don't follow." It took a minute for Dr. Director to realize the meaning of Wade's warning and the reason for his urgency, and as she did, she could feel her blood freeze.

"The reason Ron couldn't remember building another doomsday device is because he never did! Zorpox made the whole thing up!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, your choice, you want to go quietly, or kicking and screaming? I'm fine with either by the way." Kim smirked.

"Don't I get any last words?" Zorpox asked mockingly. "At least, while we're waiting?"

"Knock yourself out, but save the long winded evil taunts please." Kim's look of confidence never once faded.

"Oh no speeches, just two things I thought you should know. One, the Annihilation Wave was just a bluff, and two, I'd rather die then go back inside Stoppable's head."

With a fierce snarl, Zorpox slammed his own head against the emerald force field. Energy crackled at the impact and Zorpox was taken aback, but the look of determination on his face never once faded.

"Ron, stop!" Kim cried out. Both agents quickly drew their side arms even as Zorpox slammed his head once again, this time drawing blood.

"Drop the field! Now!" Kim shouted anxiously.

"Control Room, this is Du." Will spoke into his wrist radio.

"NOW!" Kim didn't wait to ask again as she grabbed Will's palm and forced it down on the palm scanner, even as Zorpox's skull crashed against the force field yet again.

The emerald energy dissipated as Zorpox collapsed onto the ground, letting out a low moan.

"Ron, can you hear me?" Kim rushed to his side, immediately positioning him so that he was face up, allowing her a look at his head wound.

"Possible, step back, get away from him." Will warned as he and the other agents tracked their weapons on the target.

Sadly, Will's warning came too little, too late as Zorpox placed his hands back and leapt up into the air, past Kim and head long into Du, knocking him down to the ground.

The two agents reacted simultaneously; firing twin stun shots that Zorpox quickly blocked with Will's stunned form. A pair of darts dug into Will's chest in almost the exact same instant, even as Zorpox's foot shot out, knocking one of the agents across the room and straight into the wall, rendering him unconscious.

The second agent turned to fire again, but Zorpox was too fast as he grabbed the weapon, jerking the aim at the last instant. The dart went wide, impacting harmlessly onto the side of the wall as Zorpox delivered a solid judo blow to the back of the agents head, knocking him out as well.

"Oh no you don't."

Kim's declaration came from behind as she leapt forward, tackling Zorpox to the ground. The two rolled together before Zorpox kicked Kim off, who rolled with the attack to land perfectly on her feet.

Kim countered with a spin kick, then a sweep, both of which Zorpox dodged before spotting an opening in her combo which he was able to use to deliver a kick directly into her chest, knocking her back.

Zorpox knew he had only bought himself a split second opening, and had one chance to make it count. Reaching down onto the ground, Zorpox grabbed the unconscious form of Will Du, lifting it up enough, he pointed his fore and middle fingers tightly against the side of his neck.

"Take one more step, and he dies. Oh, and to whoever is watching this on the cameras, anything funny happens, and I take at least two agents down with me." Zorpox threatened aloud.

Kim struggled to catch herself in her steps, freezing right there on the spot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dr. Director?" The officer looked helplessly towards her as the events unfolded on the screen.

"We can't use the panic feature. He'll kill as many of them as he can at the first sight of gas. Alert all base personel. Inniate lock down procedures. He may be out, but he's not getting far."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Kimmunicator, throw it down on the ground. Now!"

Kim didn't move, save to shoot Zorpox a begrudged look.

"Kimberly Anne!" Zorpox raised his voice, pressing all the more tightly against Will's throat.

Slowly, Kim reached into her side pocket, pulling out the small blue device, and reluctantly tossing it to the ground.

"Now, get in the cell." Zorpox instructed.

Kim didn't move.

"I've got two other potential hostages. If this one doesn't work for you, I can get rid of it and grab one of the others." Zorpox reminded.

Slowly, Kim stepped towards the cell. Though she admitted that she could care more about Will, she could never allow Zorpox to kill him, if for Ron's sake more than anything else. As she moved, a tense glare between the two passed. Kim struggled to see if she could find any trace of Ron within Zorpox's eyes, but try as she might, she found nothing. Even as she finally stepped inside the cell, she looked pleadingly at him. "Ron, don't do this."

Zorpox didn't answer. Instead, he took Will's limp palm and pressed it over the palm scanner, reactivating the force field.

"Thanks for letting me out, KP. You think about how I couldn't have gotten out without your help when I'm busy ripping this planet in two. Bye." Zorpox smiled before dropping Du's unconscious form to the ground. Zorpox then hurriedly grabbed up the Kimmunicator, Will's wrist stunners and his radio before heading out of the detention area.


	6. Escape

Author's Note: Continual thanks to all those who have offered in reviews. I do apologize for this delay in this latest chapter, but the combination of work and my desire to finish up my latest collaboration project with my buddy Zaratan has taken up a lot of my free time.

As always, write a review, get a response. And enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The claxon of alarms filled the entire facility as solid thick doors shut all across each and every corridor. Trained agents followed pre-drilled procedures, moving to specific points throughout the base, their weapons armed and drawn.

"Lower levels sealed. Containment procedures have been initiated." The lieutenant informed.

"All agents; subdue and capture. I repeat, subdue and capture. Target is to be taken alive." Dr. Director informed over her headset.

"We've got him on the base scanners." A sergeant reported as a blip appeared on his screen. "He's moving out of the detention area… fast."

"Confirmed." The lieutenant reported as he brought up the visual feed. Sure enough, Zorpox could be seen hurrying down the halls. "He'll be dead ending in front of the blast doors in that section."

"Open blast door C-7." Dr. Director instructed.

"Ma'am?" The lieutenant asked.

"Once he's made is past, close the door behind him. We'll trap him between C-7 and C-6." Dr. Director explained.

"Yes ma'am." As instructed, the lieutenant entered the appropriate commands, permitting the door to open. Just as planned, Zorpox arrived a split second after it had opened, running right past it, before being blocked by the next blast door even as the first shut down behind him.

"We've got him."

"This is Dr. Director, target trapped in section C-6. Agents move in."

Even as the director issued the orders, she watched with collected interest as Zorpox moved towards the palm scanner controlling the blast door in front of him. With a fury, the villain proceeded to rip off the scanner panel itself, exposing the vulnerable mechanics beneath.

"Now what does he think he's doing?" Dr. Director posed rhetorically as she watched Zorpox reach inside for the circuitry, pulling some of it out and connecting it to the Kimmunicator.

"He could be trying to bypass the security protocols." The sergeant theorized.

"Heh. He'd have a better chance of opening the vault at Fort Knox with a stethoscope." Dr. Director stated confidently.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello!" Kim slammed her fist against the force field cell, defiant of its apparent invulnerability, even as the shimmering energy served to mock her again. "Someone let me out of here!"

A low groan was her only response. It took her a second to locate its source back to the groggy figure of Will Du as he slowly pulled himself up to his feet.

"Will!" Kim exclaimed. "Let me out of here."

Will seemed not to hear her at first as he fought to regain his bearings, summoning all his focus and concentration just to stand up.

"Will!" Kim shouted, hopeful that her voice might help bring him around.

The agent slowly seemed to look right up at her even as he stumbled slightly where he stood.

"Get me out of here." Kim emphasized by slamming her fist against the energy field holding her prisoner.

Will seemed to shake his head of the cobwebs even as he picked up a spare weapon, stumbling out of the detention area.

"WILL!" Kim shouted as she smashed her hands against the cell wall angrily again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the screen, Zorpox seemed frustrated as he worked feverishly on the Kimmunicator, his efforts apparently without reward.

"Tried to tell him." Dr. Director grinned triumphantly.

"Agents moving into position." The lieutenant announced.

"Get ready to open the doors for them."

As Dr. Director spoke, she watched Zorpox discard the Kimmunicator, before taking what appeared to be wrist tasers. Frantically, he shoved them both inside the panel, even as he began fiddling with the wiring once again.

"Now what is he…"

Dr. Director never got the chance to finish her query as lights and screens throughout the control room went dead. Power cut across the entire base, leaving the entire facility standing in the dark.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim didn't know what had happened. Yet when she found herself standing in the dark, the distinct glow of the force field now absent, she refused to challenge her apparent good luck.

Without a second's hesitation, she stepped out of the cell, and moved to manually open the detention cell door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He just sent some huge power spike through our grid. System overloaded." The sergeant reported.

"Back ups?" Dr. Director inquired.

As if on demand, lights and monitors within the room and throughout the facility, flickering back to life.

"Coming on line now."

"Thank you sergeant." Dr. Director replied dryly. "Lieutenant, where's my target?"

The lieutenant brought back up the video feed with horrifying results.

"He's gone!"

"What?" Dr. Director stormed over to the lieutenant's side. "He was trapped between twin reinforced blast doors that could stop a stampede. Unless he's developed the ability to walk through walls, that's where he should still be."

"Ma'am, he's not there." The lieutenant insisted helplessly.

"Confirmed." The sergeant reported.

"Then find him!" Dr. Director re-engaged her headset. "All agents, target has disappeared. Return to previous checkpoints. I want check-ins every twenty seconds."

"I'm running a full scan of the facility." The sergeant announced.

"Gentlemen, you two have twenty five seconds to find our target, or else you're both out of a job." Dr. Director warned.

"I got him. He's in corridor E." The lieutenant pulled up the appropriate video feed.

"What?" Dr. Director moved closely to the monitor, even as he watched Zorpox dismantling yet another security scanner. "How the hell did he get two corridors over? We were only offline for a second."

"Looks like he's still trying to override the security protocols." The lieutenant noted, as Zorpox was indeed pulling out the Kimmunicator.

"Where is he? Specifically."

"Section E-4. We already have agents outside the blast doors leading in to that section." The sergeant reported.

"Are the blast doors still sealed?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright, no chances this time. Cut the lights in there, I don't want him to be able to see what he's doing. Tell our agents to go in with night vision goggles."

"Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am, I've got Kim Possible for you over the head set." The lieutenant reported.

"Ms. Possible." The director spoke to her headset. "Where are you?"

"I'm behind one of your blast doors and I don't have the proper palm scan." Kim's voice replied.

"I've got her." The sergeant declared as he looked at his monitor.

"We'll clear a path for you. We've got Zorpox trapped and we're moving in to subdue." Dr. Director relayed.

"Where's Will?" Kim asked through gritted teeth.

"Agent Du? Why do you ask?"

"He ran off and left me in your cell." She relayed.

"Ma'am, our agents in position." The sergeant reported.

"Alright, let them in." Dr. Director ordered. "Sergeant, find me Agent Du."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zorpox cursed at the impressiveness of Global Justice's systems. He was just about to try something when the lights around him went dark. Even the flood lights were turned off.

Zorpox didn't need a second to ponder what was going on when the loud grinding sound of the blast door opening next to him rang in his ears, proceeding what Zorpox guessed to be half a dozen set of foot steps surrounding him.

"Drop your equipment, and put your hands on your head." A voice instructed, though Zorpox couldn't make out which voice it was.

Snarling bitterly, Zorpox complied, dropping the Kimmunicator and taser to the ground, mentally noting to himself where they had been dropped in proximity to his feet, as he slowly brought his hands over his hair.

"Cuff him." An agent ordered.

Zorpox closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he felt a gloved hand seize his wrist.

Without wasting the effort of opening his eyes, Zorpox moved in a single swift motion, taking the agent by surprise, even as his comrades moved to fire. Every one of their shots was blocked by their fellow agent's torso as Zorpox used him as a shield, twisting him around in front of himself with one hand, even as Zorpox lifted off the agent's goggles, tracking up across his body until coming across the feel of them, all in the same instant.

Even as he did this, Zorpox reached out with his right foot, scooping up the discarded taser and kicking it up into the air. Abandoning his human shield, Zorpox grabbed the two different tasers and brought them together, creating a brief but bright spark of light that, when amplified by their night vision goggles, served to briefly blind the agents.

Zorpox opened his eyes as he slid on his own set of night vision goggles. His eyes adjusting to the images, Zorpox moved to attack the disorientated agents. The first one never even saw what hit him. Nor the second. The third regained his eye sight just in time to see a fist strike him squarely in the throat while a powerful kick disabled a fourth agent. Every one of Zorpox's attacks struck a nerve somewhere on the body, momentarily stunning his victims with an intense pain that Zorpox compounded upon by a second and third attack.

The entire fight was over before anyone listening in could have appreciated what had happened.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What's going on in there? Agents, report!" Dr. Director shouted into her headset. "Get the lights back on in there this instant. Do it now. Now!"

The sergeant hurriedly complied, the video monitor now displaying half a dozen agents lying on the floor in a circular array around a central point. Zorpox was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell happened? Where is he?" Dr. Director turned to the men under her command.

"Zorpox is moving down the corridor. Trapping him in section E-1, ma'am." As the lieutenant worked, the blast doors in the section resealed themselves.

"Alright, enough of this. Once he's sealed in, flood that section with gas." Dr. Director ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am…" The lieutenant indicated to his video monitor, where Zorpox was once again removing the panel off yet another palm scanner.

"Oh no." The Director groaned, as she watched Zorpox place the electric cables of the taser into the wiring, before reworking the interiors. Sure enough, Dr. Director had just enough time to see Zorpox cringe away from a massive electrical discharge from the panel in front of him even as the lights and monitors in her command room and throughout the facility went dead. "Not again."

"We're offline." The sergeant announced.

"Back-ups are useless." The lieutenant reported.

Dr. Director took a deep breath as she counted to herself. Right on cue, the lights and monitors of her control room flickered back to life yet again.

"Back up… back up generators." Dr. Director explained proudly. "Lieutenant, our target had better still be where we left him."

"Uhh…" the lieutenant began feverishly working at his station once again to retrieve the visual of the section. "Ma'am, we have a problem."

"Don't tell me." Dr. Director exclaimed with a sigh.

"He's gone again." The lieutenant replied uneasily as he indicated to the monitor displaying the feed of the appropriate section. Sure enough, Zorpox was no longer there.

"That's twice now he's disappeared in the middle of a power out. How the hell is he doing this? The blast doors remain shut in the case of a power cut, so how is he walking through walls every time we blink."

Dr. Director was unsatisfied with the awkward silence that followed her question.

"That was not rhetorical, people!"

"Wait, ma'am, what about the ventilation ducts?" The lieutenant asked.

"What about them?" Dr. Director replied.

"What if Zorpox slipped inside them during the power outs? If the laser grid were deactivated, he could easily cut across corridors once we weren't looking."

"Impossible." Dr. Director dismissed. "The grid in there has a redundant power system. If the power went out, the redundant system would kick in with only a split second's interruption. Even Zorpox can't move that fast."

"No ma'am, he's right. I'm picking up someone without an authorized GJ badge moving through the ventilation ducts." The sergeant reported.

"That's impossible. Why hasn't the security net gone off?" Dr. Director demanded.

"I… I don't know." The sergeant admitted helplessly.

"Well activate it! Flood the system!"

"It's too late." He reported back anxiously. "He just ducked out."

"Where?"

The sergeant let out a pitiful gulp. "The armory."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zorpox let out a pleased low laugh as he dropped down inside the Global Justice armory, even as he smiled at the Kimmunicator in his hand.

"Global Justice really needs to recheck their security. It's good, but I'm better. Booyahahahaha!" Zorpox exclaimed proudly, even as he ran over to one of several hover cars parked amidst the vast array of ordinance and weaponry not found anywhere else on the planet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ma'am, there's enough hardware in there to conquer several small countries." The lieutenant reminded responsibly even as the video monitor displayed anxious GJ agents huddling in front of the entrance.

"And all our men are carrying stun weapons." Dr. Director finished the report aloud. "Where's Kim Possible?"

"Your sergeant filled me in." Kim's voice crackled over the headset. "I'm on my way."

"All agents, hold your position. Wait for Ms. Possible to arrive before taking any further a…" Dr. Director was never able to finish issuing her order as the doors of the armory exploded open, admitting escape to a flying hover car as it flew past the dazed agents and down the corridor.

"Ma'am, target in a commandeered hover car moving down corridor G." An agent at the scene reported even as the remaining agents scurried down the hall in pursuit.

"Confirm target is aboard hover car." Dr. Director turned to the sergeant.

"Confirmed ma'am. Bio scans show him in the pilot seat." The sergeant responded immediately.

"Where's he heading?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zorpox smiled to himself proudly even as he stood in the pilot seat of his newest hover car. The bio readings that he had rigged his decoy to transmit would likely only confuse his pursuers for another minute or two, but that would be enough time to get his task completed. Satisfied that this second hover car was adequate for his needs, Zorpox moved over to a large device that he had quickly identified as yet another in a long list of death rays that Global Justice had confiscated.

Zorpox was staring at the label on the side just as a shot zoomed past his face, just barely missing him.

"Get away from there." Will Du ordered as he maintained his steady aim at Zorpox.

"So, Will." Zorpox turned to the agent. "Ready to grow that pair we were talking about?"

"Dr. Director, this is Agent Du. I have Zorpox." Will spoke into his headset without reply. "Dr. Director, please respond. This is Agent Du."

Zorpox merely laughed as he held up the Kimmunicator in triumphant display. "Reception really is terrible down here."

Will gripped his weapon all the more tightly as he approached the blue skinned villain. "Come quietly, and I promise you won't be harmed."

"Not happening." Zorpox replied instantly.

"This doesn't have to happen."

"Not seeing any other options. Not for you anyway."

"I may never be forgiven for letting you into this world, but I swear I'll rot before I let you out of this facility." Will declared with iron resolve.

"Now you're getting it." Zorpox glared.

For a second, the two stared each other down, and then the second passed.

Will fired, but his shot was actually blocked by the Kimmunicator as Zorpox brought it directly between himself and the dart.

Will tried to fire again but Zorpox leapt out at the agent, tackling him to the ground. The two rolled and wrestled, even as Du brought the butt of his weapon directly up into Zorpox's jaw.

"That was uncalled for." Zorpox spat as his fist slammed down into Will's face. The agent struggled for leverage even as the villain brought his elbow crashing down into Du's jaw.

With all his strength, Will Du heaved, lifting Zorpox up and off himself. The two quickly leapt to their feet and turned to face one another. Will praised his training as he adopted a standard defensive posture, testing Zorpox with a few light jabs. Zorpox casually deflected these attacks before grabbing the last, focusing his strength and force as he twisted Will arm downward and outward at an unnatural angle very suddenly, prompting a large cracking sound from Will's shoulder as well as a cry from the agent.

"Oh, bet that hurt." Zorpox offered unsympathetically, even as he compounded on Du's vulnerability with a strong kick directly to the senior agent's stomach. "That probably didn't tickle either, did it. Booyahahahahaha!"

Du bit past the pain as he came up with an uppercut directly into Zorpox's jaw, silencing his mad laugh and knocking him back. Du pressed his momentum with a knee straight into Zorpox's gut, but the villain caught the extending limb before twisting it, causing another loud cracking sound, and causing Du to bend over, falling to the ground in agony.

"Hmm, bad luck Du. Guess you won't be competing in the GJ annual soccer match at the company picnic, will you?" Zorpox cackled, even as he picked up his discarded Kimmunicator.

Will's dart had hit the center of the tiny screen, but that didn't concern Zorpox. He didn't even need the Kimmunicator anymore. Just the power source.

Removing the small object, Zorpox rushed over to the large energy cannon he had noticed earlier. He knew he would only get one shot at this, but with a little luck, one was all he would need. Hurriedly substituting the power cell, Zorpox then activated the controls, adjusting the setting for a maximum powered shot. He doubted the Kimmunicator's cell would be able to provide that much power, but it would use as much as it could get before discharging.

Zorpox set the controls, aiming for the ceiling of the room as he rushed back, fingers in his ears, as he let fire.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The entire control room shook with surprising force. Every one froze in their place as dust loosened itself from hidden corners of the room, sprinkling down over those present as Dr. Director gave voice to the question on everyone's mind.

"What was that?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zorpox revealed in the sweet sight of sunlight pouring in through the new hole in the ceiling as he leapt into the hover car in front of him. That was more of a punch than he had expected, blasting clean through the top soil and straight up to freedom.

"Ron!"

Zorpox turned to see Kim Possible rush into the room, staring helplessly at him.

"Sorry KP, Ron's not here right now." Zorpox shouted as he flew off through the giant hole before him, out into the waking world.


	7. Twisted Reunions

Author's Note: Thanks once again to all those who have reviewed, both new readers and dedicated ones alike. With school coming up, I might not get to update as much as I want, but I will try my best. In the meantime, write a review, get a response.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim stood in the GJ armory, clumps of rubble and debris littered about in proximity to the giant hole now leaking sun light into the highly classified facility. She looked about, unable to conceive of Ron being cable of such devastation.

"It's my fault. All… my fault." Will Du insisted weakly, repeating deliriously even as his battered frame was lifted up onto a stretcher. As the bruised and beaten agent continued to repeat himself, Kim could not help but feel a twinge of guilt as she took in the extent of his injuries.

He'd been bandaged; his leg reset very roughly, his arm in a sling, a black eye to compliment the ensemble. Over the course of the last couple hours, Kim had certainly threatened to do much worse to Will, and had even imagined herself enjoying it. Now, to look at the consequences of such violence, it gave her pause.

As the medics carried Will out past Kim, his hand shot out for hers, causing her to jump as her eyes fell down upon him.

"I'm so sorry. For… forgive me. My fault."

Will's eyes tore into Kim, begging, pleading… Instead, Kim merely removed his hand from her wrist before nodding to the medics, encouraging them to carry him out.

"I'm sorry too." Kim whispered when she was sure no one could hear her.

Kim took another deep breath, summoning up her strength, as she looked around the armory. She never even turned to acknowledge Dr. Director as the director entered the room.

"He played us from the start." Kim recounted. "Created a threat against the world, and then made sure to get everyone involved so that we'd step on each other's toes and never figure out what he was planning."

"Created a fake deadline to make us think that our backs were against the wall." Dr. Director continued Kim's observation.

"He used me to deliver him right into Global Justice's hands, because he knew I'd never let Ron anywhere near an Attitudinator otherwise. He even took advantage of his little 'moment' in the therapy room to encourage the idea." Kim couldn't hide her frustration.

"He couldn't have known about that. The therapy was… unplanned. It was an accident." Dr. Director insisted.

"I don't think he did. I don't think that was planned. I think he expected Ron to come up with the idea on his own. When that didn't happen fast enough, he decided to point us in his direction."

"Sounds like one big desperate long shot to me." Dr. Director noted skeptically.

"He was already in his box." Kim added burningly. "He was in a position to take a desperate long shot… and it worked."

"Ms. Possible, I swear, no agent on this base will rest until Zorpox is back in his box and Ron…" Dr. Director was cut off.

"Have you tracked the hover car?" Kim already knew the answer.

"We found its transponder tore out and ditched less than a half a mile from GJ headquarters, along with what appeared to be some kind of micro tracking chip."

Kim closed her eyes in frustration, kicking herself. She'd handed Zorpox the keys to his freedom, every step of the way, just like he wanted.

"Dr. Director!" An urgent voice cut into the radio headsets. "We are receiving a transmission from Team Possible's tech kid again."

"Wade?" Kim called into her own head set.

"Kim, I've been trying to reach you, but the Kimmunicator is down." Wade spoke frantically.

"Yeah, we had a crisis." Kim noted dryly, even as she picked up the Kimmunicator with Will's missed dart sticking out of its screen. "What's up?"

"We got a hit."

Kim just rolled her eyes in frustration. "Wade, whoever it is, tell them to take a number. I'm busy."

"Kim, it's about Ron!"

"What?" Kim felt her heart leap. "Where?"

"It looks like Zorpox didn't waste any time. He went straight for the Middleton Space Center."

"My dad." Kim's voice trailed off at the sound.

"Safe and sound, apparently along with the rest of his team. They were conducting some kind of experiment when Zorpox locked them in one of the labs before making off with a bunch of tech."

"Got a list of what was taken?" Kim's mind raced. She thought for sure that if Zorpox were to attack the Space Center, her dad would surely be the target. Yet the idea of Zorpox with Space Center tech in his possession did little to ease Kim's troubled mind. What was he planning?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My plan is very simple." The blue skinned madman announced proudly. "Once I retrieve the necessary components, I'll be able to create a fake syntho drone, to impersonate…"

"We did that already." Shego replied unenthusiastically.

"We what?" Drakken stumbled verbally.

"The whole 'syntho-imperso' thingy." Shego went on. "Been there, done that, he sprung a leak."

"Grr." Drakken tore the sheet of paper containing the schematic of his plan off the wall, grinding it within his hands and tossing it to the ground, revealing another large piece of graph paper pinned beneath it. "Ok then, new plan. We clone Kim Possible…"

"Already did that."

Drakken proceeded to growl as he tore up the next sheet of paper before moving on to the next. "Using my shrink ray, we assault the fabled Area 51…"

"Did that too."

Another growl, another sheet of paper torn and cast to the ground with the rest of the litter. "We steal the Pans Dimensional Vortex Inducer…"

"Done that to death. So not happening again." Shego informed plainly.

"We go after the notorious ray x…"

"Did that." Shego didn't miss a beat.

"Rare flower to make Kim disappear?" Drakken asked.

"Failed."

"Mind control shampoo?"

"Didn't work."

"The Centurion project?"

"Dr. D, don't you have any new plans at all?" Shego finally exclaimed at the height of her frustration.

"Well I was thinking of building a giant ray of doom…"

"It backfired on you." Shego replied simply.

"Really? I don't remember that." Drakken admitted pensively.

"Yeah, that's cause you were in the hospital for two weeks. Oh and by the way, the hospital still keeps calling you to pay your bill."

"Yes well, let's see how intimidating those orderlies are once I've conquered the world with my latest scheme." Drakken insisted.

Drakken never got a chance to further elaborate on his plan as an explosion shattered the wall next to him; a cloud of strange blue gas filled the lair. Drakken and Shego tried as hard as they could to cough the gas from their lungs, even as a cruel voice echoed.

"Scheme! Scheme! What this time? Some evil weapon, some terrible new robot? The most evil thing you ever created was me, and that was an accident!"

Even as Shego ached to clear her lungs, she felt her heart seize. It couldn't be…

"I was so much better than you, better than you ever dreamed of being, so you allied yourself with Kimberley Anne to take me down."

Drakken's eyes desperately tried to focus through the blue cloud, finally setting upon the outline of a tall figure appearing through the hole where his wall used to be.

"You sent me to that place, trapped me inside that no good do-gooder…"

"Oh no. No, it can't be." Shego stuttered out.

"…but I'm back!" Zorpox exclaimed with delight as the gas cleared, revealing him standing in all his glory, donning his black, red and purple costume, complete with cape and all.

Shego was speechless. Fortunately, Drakken spared her the trouble. "The buffoon? How did you find my lair?"

"It's all thanks to her." Zorpox exclaimed as he pointed towards Shego. "Six billion people on this planet, and not one of them with a bio-thermal reading like hers anywhere. Once I snagged the proper satellite and ran the proper scans, it was easy." Zorpox broke out into his trademark laugh before adding "Sidekicks: they can really drag you down, can't they?"

"Hmm true." Drakken mused. "I do often find myself forced to shoulder the heavy burden of this evil enterprise of ours alone."

"Are. You. Insane!" Shego roared, her fears forgotten. She couldn't believe she was listening to this. "I'm the only one of us who ever does anything that doesn't blow up in our faces."

"Now Shego, there's no need to get defensive about your inadequacies." Drakken explained humbly. "After all, we all have our limits."

"Hey!" Zorpox shouted. "Remember me, the guy invading your lair. How about some attention for the real evil genius around here?"

"Of course." Drakken agreed readily. "Shego, show our guest how we attend to party crashers around here."

"Oh, so now you need me. I guess that shoulder of yours is too burdened, what with you patting it all the time." Shego noted cynically.

"Shego, now is not the time for our differences." Drakken insisted.

"Are we going to do this already?" Zorpox asked impatiently.

"Fine." Shego leapt into stance. "I've been waiting for this chance for a long time." Shego's fears had melted away before burning anger as she readied herself for a shot. "Give my regards to the cheerleader. Second thought, I'll give them to her for you."

Shego's hand flared green for a moment… only to sputter and dim. The energy that normally burned about them seemed to glimmer and fade, finally spitting out, leaving Shego with a wide eyed look of confusion and terror.

"What the…?"

"Oooh, all out of steam?" Zorpox asked gleefully, before following through with yet another laugh.

"How…?" Shego's voice felt itself losing strength and confidence rapidly.

"That blue gas I pumped this place with earlier wasn't just for special effects. Seems that there's been a lot of progress in decontaminating cosmic radiation these days, with special thanks to Dr. James Possible as the leading developer."

"Grr." Drakken growled at the very mention of that name. "I hate it when irony isn't in my favor."

"Dr. D, we got to get out of here." Shego stated certainly, the anxiousness in her voice returning, as she began backing away.

"Yes, run. If you wait long enough, your powers should return to you." Zorpox smiled with sinister glee as he eyes Shego.

"Shego, don't be absurd. It's just the side kick. You can take him, glowing hands or no." Drakken argued plainly.

"Side kick?" Zorpox seemed to spit out the words in anger. "SIDE KICK? I'll show you who the side kick is around here!"

"Uhh, Shego, now would be a good time to attack." Drakken offered meekly as he felt his feet backing away as well.

"Shego." Zorpox turned to the green clad super villain. "There's no reason for us to fight. Not that I'm looking for another side kick, but if you submit to me, I'll let you be my evil maid! Bwahahahaha. I've even got the perfect costume for you."

"Oh really." Shego felt her fear be replaced by righteous anger once again. In a moment of over confidence, Shego charged forward, leaping through the air, landing beside Zorpox and shooting out a high kick straight to his face… which was blocked by a cylindrical wall of energy that shot up, completely encasing Zorpox. As Shego's foot connected with the shield, the energy crackled across Shego's entire body, stunning her to the ground unconscious.

"Hmm, probably forgot about this little toy, didn't you?" Zorpox asked the villainess' unconscious figure even as he reached down to his belt, deactivating it. "I even improved it."

Zorpox paused for a moment before turning up to look at Drakken. "Now then, you mentioned something about a sidekick?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dad?" Kim called out as she finally ripped the door wide open; revealing her father and at least half a dozen other scientists in trademark lab coats huddled closely around the door.

"Kimmie-cub!"

Kim ignored her father's use of her embarrassing nickname as she rushed up to him, embracing him tightly. "Dad, are you ok?"

"Oh we're fine, Kimmie," James Possible assured his panic stricken daughter "but I'm a little worried about Ronald. Is he alright?"

Kim let out a weak smile as her father's eyes drew upon her curiously. She didn't even know how to explain this to her dad, and she knew if she told him, then surely he would tell the Stoppables, and then Kim would never be able to explain herself.

"Uhmm, yeah. I'm sorry… it's just… we needed some stuff for a mission. I asked Ron to get it for me, and I guess he got a little carried away." Kim explained uneasily.

"Hmm, don't see why he had to lock us in our own lab." Dr. Possible mused innocently aloud, tapping his chin with his finger curiously.

"Oh, he was probably just making sure you didn't get hurt, you know, just in case some villain was following him."

"Ahh." To Kim's great surprise, this explanation seemed to satisfy her father. Kim could only struggle to keep a straight face in spite of her father's obliviousness. It always seemed to amaze her how a rocket scientist like her father could be so brilliant and yet so clueless all at the same time.

Fortunately, Kim was spared from further awkwardness as the new Kimmunicator Wade had sent her earlier chimed.

"Go Wade." Kim insisted desperately.

"Must be a new teen super hero procedure." Dr. James Possible suggested in the background to his colleagues.

"Kim, everyone ok there?" Wade asked frantically.

"Oh yeah, all eggheads present and accounted for, and still egg headed thankfully." Kim assured with relief.

"Not sure I approve of the new costumes and the face paint…" Dr. Possible went on in the background, oblivious of his daughter's investigation.

"Any sign of Ron?" Wade looked hopefully.

Kim turned down to her 'expert.'

Rufus' sensitive nose scoured every inch of the room, frantically sifting through every scent it could before coming to only one conclusion. "Ron!"

"How long ago?" Kim looked down as the mole rat counted with each of his tiny fingers repeatedly.

"Almost ten minutes." Kim counted. "Wade, he couldn't have gotten that far, even on a hover car. Where is he?"

"Uh…" Wade began uneasily as he was frantically working at his computer.

"Wade…" Kim nearly gritted her teeth

"Kim… I'm not getting any satellite reception. I don't know why, but nothing useful is coming up over the Middleton. I couldn't find a bonfire, much less…" Wade was cut off from finishing.

"Wade… fix it, find him… or you're fired." Kim shut off her Kimmunicator without another word even as she found herself standing alone, and very frightened.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The figure composed himself as he prepared for his mediation. Around him, his minions reacted accordingly. Incense burned as the master silenced his mind, calming down his heart, attempting to achieve inner calm.

Monkey Fist was denied his calm as the inner wall of his lair exploded, sending dust and debris fragments through the room. His meditation chamber was quickly turned into a war zone even as his monkey minions screeched and moved to surround their master, in preparation for battle.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Monkey Fist focused his eyes on the source of the voice, just barely making out a figure approaching him.

"Wait, I'm forgetting myself. We've never actually met."

"That voice…" The name refused to taint Monkey Fist's tongue with its sound as the ninja's eyes widened with surprise.

"You can call me 'master." Zorpox announced as he entered into sight.

"You are nothing but a buffoon and a fool Ron Stoppable, yet even at that, I never dared imagine you foolish enough to enter my lair without your cheerleader to protect you." Monkey Fist glared at his arch enemy even as he redrew his stance for combat.

"Protect… me!" Zorpox's face nearly burned red. "That cheerleader was the only thing keeping me from making a freak show out of you like I should have so long ago and now that she's not here…" Zorpox finished his statement by drawing a uniquely modified pistol, setting his sights squarely on the half monkey man.

"Surely you jest." If this drawn weapon came as any fright to Monkey Fist, it didn't show to look at his expression. "You're too weak for murder."

"Murder?" Zorpox drew back almost in surprise. "Oh I'd never kill you. Then I'd never get to watch you suffer!"

Zorpox leveled his weapon, taking aim. Monkey Fist leapt up into the air, landing quickly on his hands, holding himself up for a second before leaping back up through the air right at the blue skinned villain.

Zorpox's aim never once lost its lock as his shot struck true, hitting the monkey master square in the neck, the slight impact enough to cause the ninja to lose his pose in mid jump, landing him clumsily just a few spare inches from his target.

Zorpox leaned over, grinning proudly as his prey began convulsing before him.

"What… what was that…?" Monkey Fist managed to spit out as he felt his insides burn. His skin felt like it was on fire even as his body began trembling uncontrollably.

"You know, I'll never understand how GJ could have had such a hard time finding DNAmy's lair. Once I was able to find the right satellite, it was easy. It was the lair with the giant pterodactyl flying over it. Of course, since she was in custody, she didn't much object to me going through her notes."

Fist barely heard any of Zorpox's words as he struggled down the urge to scream in mortal agony. The monkey master could scarcely contain his horror as he saw the hair on his hands and feet begin to recede right before his very eyes.

"The most interesting parts were her early notes. All about some of her first experiments, including a very interesting section all about you."

The ninja pulled aside his gi, revealing his chest hair shriveling away as well.

"In between all that disgusting love sick poetry she wrote about her precious 'Montikins', there was some very interesting information about possibly further advancing your condition, as well as even reversing it if necessary."

Monkey Fist looked up to his minions for aide, even as the ensemble of monkey ninjas began backing away hesitantly.

"Ooh, I guess they know you're no longer really one of them." Zorpox sneered.

"My minions! Help me." Monkey Fist pleaded, even as the hair running down the sides of his face receded to no more than some unsightly sideburns.

Zorpox turned to the small army of primate ninjas, addressing them directly. "If you're smart enough to learn ninjitsu, you're smart enough to appreciate what this will do to you." Zorpox held up his weapon for display. "One shot of this will turn you all into a bunch of hairless freak children with tails. You cross me, and I'll send every one of you to the nearest sweat shop I can find."

For a moment, the ninja's seemed to silently converse with one another as they looked to each other for some sign of leadership, some indication of the proper course of action. Finally, they shrieked and hollered as they took flight, fleeing out of the room, vanishing quickly.

"NOO!" Monkey Fist cried, even as he tried to chase after them. As he did, moving with his arms to the ground in support, he found his hands clumsy to the task as he slipped and fell to the ground.

"Oh, sorry." Zorpox taunted. "I guess you're going to have to learn to walk on two legs like an evolved primate for a change, you evolutionary freak!"

"No, this can't be happening. I'm hideous." Monkey Fist repeated to himself, his mind having clearly snapped at the unreality of the situation.

"Guess without that monkey mojo working for you, you're just a rich freak with an obsession for hair." Zorpox cackled loudly.

"I'll change back." Monkey Fist murmured nonsensically to himself. "I'll find a way to change back. I swear."

"That's assuming that I'm feeling generous enough to let you go." Zorpox bent down, to eye his once arch enemy squarely in the eye. "And I'm not."


	8. Family Matters

Author's Note: I cannot say enough how much all the reviews and feedback that I have recieved for this story has meant to me, and how they've encouraged me to write and update this story as frequently as possible. Enjoy this latest chapter, and once again, write a review, get a response.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Helplessness is not a pleasant sensation. The thought of being completely powerless to right a wrong or correct a situation that we know to be unfair or unjust is an absolutely demoralizing one in every sense of the word.

For Kim Possible, a young woman brought up to believe that she was capable of anything, someone who had never experienced this sensation before in her life, it was a hundred times worse.

It had been hours since Wade had last called. God only knew where Zorpox was or what he had been up to in all that time. She had paced back and forth tirelessly within the tree house that was once their private sanctuary from the world, Rufus keeping watch over her, a growing expression of concern on his tiny features, waiting for some news.

She had occupied her time since by getting Dr. Director to call Ron's parents, explaining that the young crime fighters were on a mission across the world. She hated having to lie to them, to lie to her own parents as well, but she had no other choice. What else could she do? Look the Stoppables in the eyes and tell them that she had taken their son, the one person in the world who meant more to her than anything, and used him as a lab rat before turning him into an evil, psychotic madman. She couldn't face that, she wouldn't. She would get Ron back… she just wasn't sure how quite yet.

The ring of the Kimmunicator caught Kim's attention instantly, as she brought to her face in the blink of an eye.

"GOWADE!" Kim shouted all at once. The results caught Wade by surprise.

"Kim, I found Zorpox!" Wade tried to maintain his composure in the face of Kim's desperation.

"Where?"

"You're not going to believe this one." Wade stated certainly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hurry up, get those nacos loaded up." Zorpox ordered, even as he kept a laser riffle trained on the nervous Beuno Nacho employees as they hurried to fill the largest 'To Go' order of their careers. The back of an entire truck, filled to the brim with nacos or the entire place would be blown to the skies. Ned could still hardly believe that this was happening. The fact that the man responsible for this absurd hostage situation was Beuno Nacho's most famous and accomplished customer did nothing to help his struggling mind grasp a hold of the idea.

"You call this service?" Zorpox shouted from the roof of the truck, waving his laser pistol menacingly as uniformed cooks and staff rushed bag full's and bag full's of Mexican delicacies out to be hastily piled atop each other. "I've half a mind to shove the slowest of you into the deep fryer! Maybe that will speed you up!"

"If you don't like the service, be sure to register a complaint with the management." Kim Possible called out as she stood across the lot, her face as determined and stone cold as ever.

"Kimberly Anne!" Zorpox exclaimed. "You're going to have to wait in line for your food; I'm in the middle of my order."

"Look, I'm really not in the mood for witty banter at the moment. You're coming with me Zorpox." Kim could feel her patience fading rapidly. She wanted nothing so much as to wipe that arrogant smirk off of Zorpox's face and replace it with Ron's warm smile.

"Oh Kim, you really should try to make the most of these special moments between us. After all, the banter is the best part of all of this…" Zorpox paused a moment to ponder his own words before adding "well, besides the violence. Speaking of which…"

Laser fire shot across the parking lot, even as Kim dodged, running straight for her prey. A spare shot singed her hair as she leapt into one of her cheer routines, landing palms first on the pavement before pushing herself up into the air, doing a perfect double flip and landing behind Zorpox on top of the roof of the giant truck.

Zorpox brought his weapon around just in time to have it kicked out of his hand by Kim. Not one to surrender easily, Zorpox lunged at Kim who clobbered him with a flying spin kick, knocking him back and spinning his head an unnatural hundred and eighty degrees around.

For a second, Kim was absolutely mortified, until the figure of Zorpox brought himself back up, resetting his head, turning it around back to face with Kim.

"Syntho drone." Kim observed bitterly.

The drone of Zorpox snarled as he charged towards Kim, but the super hero back flipped out of his grasp, coming down to grasp the laser riffle as she leveled it squarely in Zorpox's face.

"At least I get to get rid of that smirk." Kim declared as she fired, reducing the head of the syntho drone to a stump oozing and pulsing syntho goo that ran down even as the frame of the drone decompressed and collapsed onto itself.

Kim kicked the hallowed shell of the syntho drone off the roof of the truck angrily even as the ring of the Kimmunicator again caught her attention.

"Wade, it was all a divers…" Kim's voice froze in its tracks as she saw the image on the screen in front of her was not Wade's.

"Greetings Kimberly Anne. I interrupt your regularly scheduled crime fighting to bring you this threat. Sorry your normal operator couldn't be with you, I booted Wade off line for a little while. He was slowing down my music downloading." Zorpox explained sarcastically.

"Where are you Zorpox?" Kim wasted no time with pleasantries.

"Why Kimberly, I do believe that you miss me. I'm touched." Zorpox offered with a grin.

"You'll get over it."

"Well if you want to find me so bad, all you have to do is go home. I do believe your mom was planning on meat loaf for dinner tonight. You think if we ask nicely, your mother will set an extra place for me?"

Kim could feel her blood freeze and her heart pound as she shut off the Kimmunicator, her mind frantically trying to determine the quickest means of getting home.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mom, mom, are you ok?" Kim called as she kicked the front door of the house in; never bothering to realize that it was unlocked.

"Of course dear, I'm in here making dinner." Kim could hear her mother's voice call out from within the kitchen. At first, Kim allowed herself to release a tremendous sigh of relief, until the next words out of her mother's mouth caused her lungs to retract that breath. "Ronald, could you please help me with the salad."

"Of course Mrs. P. Happy too." Ron exclaimed as he moved into Kim's view. Kim saw him wearing the same leather jacket, his hair slicked back much the same way it had been during his original 'bad boy' phase. To her surprise, his skin color seemed completely normal, though Kim thought she could make out just a hint of his original blue underneath. "Why there you are KP." He announced delightedly. "We were worried you were going to be late. Come here."

'Ron' moved out of the kitchen, his arms out stretched in preparation for an embrace, as he moved directly towards Kim. Kim merely batted away his hands in disgust.

"Don't you dare touch me." She whispered fiercely, anxious to make sure her mother was safely concealed away in the kitchen where she couldn't see or hear the two of them.

"Now, now." Zorpox chided. "We do have something of a 'captive' audience, let's put on a good show." He replied in the same whisper even as he indicated back to the kitchen.

"This is between you and me. Leave my mother out of this." Kim half threatened, half begged.

"Why Kimmie, your mother has just been absolutely charming. I would never dream of hurting her. Besides, we're all just one big, happy, loving family, sitting down to dinner." Zorpox reminded/instructed, his voice thick with implication.

"You are not invited." Kim replied through gritted teeth.

"And I wasn't planning on crashing, but you melted my 'take out' boy, and now I'm feeling like a good home cooked meal instead." Zorpox taunted with a grin.

"We're home." As if sensing the worst possible moment, Dr. James Possible announced himself and his son's arrival even as the young twins rushed out in front of him and up the stairs.

"Jim, Tim, I want you to set an extra place for Ron. He's going to be joining us for dinner." Mrs. Possible called out upstairs to her sons, receiving only a faint 'Yes, mom' for a response.

"Ah, Ronald." Mr. Dr. Possible walked up to the young man, placing his arm atop his shoulder. "Good to see you again. Glad you finally decided to get out of that silly costume I saw you in earlier."

"Gosh, thanks Mr. Dr. P." Zorpox smiled widely, eyeing Kim even as he wrapped his own arm around Kim's father as if the two were father and son themselves. "It sure feels like it's been a while, doesn't it Kim?"

"Not long enough." Kim replied curtly.

Kim's father paused at the awkward response, even as Zorpox eyed Kim with a look that carried a dark meaning.

"I mean, you never stay long enough." Kim tried her best to sound convincing as she wrapped her hands around Zorpox's arm, tightly enough to seemingly casually pull him off her father and off to the side even as Mr. Dr. Possible moved into the kitchen.

Kim slammed Zorpox into the side of a nearby wall, careful not to make such a thud as to attract attention.

"If you think for one second that I am going to play along with this sick game of yours…" Kim's threat was interrupted as Zorpox spoke again.

"Now look KP, there's two ways that this can go down. Either we all have a nice dinner together and everyone goes to bed happy, or you can scream your pretty little head off and explain to the folks all about the new me. It's your choice. Of course if you decide to go with the latter, there will probably be a bit of awkweirdness for a minute or two, followed most likely by some violence, stuff breaking… frankly no one wins there."

"Leave my family alone. They've done nothing to deserve this."

"Couldn't agree more." Zorpox concurred with a coy smile. "That's why I see no reason to spoil their evening with our petty differences."

"Kids, dinner is ready." Mrs. Possible announced aloud.

"Come on KP, dinner is ready." Zorpox motioned to the kitchen.

Kim bit down on her lip. Against her ever instinct, her every urge to cry out, she couldn't take the risk. Her grip on Zorpox gradually loosened, as she backed away from him warily.

"After you." She insisted.

"How kind." Zorpox merely smiled as he walked ahead of her. Kim waited until he was at least three feet in front of her before following him into the dinning area.

"Oh, Kimberly Anne Possible, what have I told you? No mission clothes to the dinner table, not when the whole family is together. Upstairs this instant." Kim's mother fussed.

"But mom…" Kim moved to argue.

"Relax KP; I'll keep a warm seat for you." Zorpox's performance turned Kim's stomach, but obviously sold his audience as Kim's family seemed to accept him without question or hesitation.

"But…" She tried to speak up.

"No 'buts' young lady. Upstairs. Now." Kim's mother had decided the matter and that was all there was to it. With a reluctant sigh, Kim turned about to leave, even as she felt a palm lightly slap her butt quietly but sharply.

"Hurry back." Zorpox smiled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim made it down the stairs and back to the kitchen in record time, having quickly changed into her trademark lime green tank top and blue pants. She entered, just in time to see Zorpox scooping up a handful of knives from a kitchen counter.

"Mom, dad. Look…!" Kim tried to call out, catching herself too late.

"What?" Kim's parents turned to look at their daughter even as Zorpox moved to set down one of the knives at each of the places around the table.

"What's the matter KP? You look like you've seen a ghost." Zorpox offered. "Why don't you take a seat? Get off your feet." At this, Zorpox moved to offer Kim a chair, inviting her to sit down right next to the spot where Ron usually sat.

"Why Ronald, that's so sweet. See James, I told you he was a perfect gentleman." Kim's mother observed.

Kim struggled vigorously to control her rage as she begrudgingly moved towards the seat that Zorpox had offered, hesitantly sitting down even as he helped her into position at the table. As Zorpox moved from where she sat over to his own seat, Kim had to force down the nauseas feeling in her stomach as she caught Zorpox taking in a deep sniff of her hair.

Satisfied that all was well, the family began sharing and dispensing the food, handing plates back and forth. As this happened, Kim caught Zorpox feeling at the pockets of his jacket.

"What are you doing now?" She leaned in, whispering.

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing and I wasn't going to say anything in front of the parents, but I can't seem to find that vile of rat poison that I brought."

Kim's terrified eyes traced Zorpox's across the table to Kim's father who was pouring her mother a glass of wine.

Kim practically leapt out of her seat as her hand flew across the table, swatting glass and bottle alike out of her mother and father's hands, drawing looks of righteous outrage from both parents.

"Kimberly Anne Possible! Just what do you think you are doing?" Kim's mother looked particularly upset as she whipped spare traces of wine from her face.

"Uhh, sorry." Kim replied uneasily. "It's just, whenever you and dad have wine after a long day, you both usually fall asleep right after dinner on the couch. I… I was kinda hoping we could stay up together for a family night."

Kim's father seemed less than satisfied with her daughter's explanation as he moved back to the kitchen. "Young lady, while I appreciate your concern for our well being, I think your mother and I are certainly capable of enjoying a bottle of wine together over dinner."

Kim simply smiled apologetically as she sat back down in her seat, her eyes burning back at Zorpox.

"You sick…"

"Oh wait." Zorpox whispered. "It's not in the wine."

Zorpox's eyes traced back to Kim's brothers as they poured soda into their glasses. Once again, Kim's anxious hands shot out, slapping twin cups away from her brothers, and onto the carpet.

"Kimberly Possible!" Her mother shouted.

"Hey!" The tweebs exclaimed angrily.

"No caffeine for you two. You'll be up all night rewiring the house hold appliances." Kim tried to explain to her brothers.

"Frankly Kimmie-cub, you should be a lot less worried about your brothers and a lot more about yourself. If you don't behave this instant, you can go to bed hungry."

"Sorry daddy." Kim forced out an apology as she sat back down in her chair.

"Now I remember." Zorpox leaned in to whisper into Kim's ear again. "I forgot the rat poison. Silly me."

Kim's look would have terrified most villains into pleading for their surrender as she eyed Zorpox venomously. "Are you done yet?"

"Me? I'm not the one making a scene here." Zorpox smiled as he turned to his food.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim could not remember a more torturous meal in her entire life. Even the numerous times that her father's colleagues from work had been over paled in comparison to having to sit through Zorpox's constant leering at her, his hands ever so often sneaking under the table to rest on her leg or thigh.

Meanwhile, Zorpox, or rather 'Ron' had been at his absolute most charming. Even Kim's father had been delighted at his conversation as he recalled some of their more embarrassing moments in the field, which entertained Kim's younger brothers to no end.

"So Kim, when you were turned into a monkey…" Jim began.

"… did you ever get the idea to fight the super villains by flinging your…" Tim was about to finish.

"Tweebs!" Kim bit at her younger brothers.

"Oh KP, it's alright. At least it wasn't as bad as that time you took Home Ec. Class."

"Kim-can't-bake-a-cookie. Kim-can't-bake-a-cookie. Kim-can't-bake-a-cookie. Kim-can't-bake-a-cookie." The tweebs went on.

"Boys, that's enough." Mr. Dr. Possible moved to quiet his sons.

"I'm sorry, I've embarrassed you KP." Zorpox's coy smile never wavered as he placed his hand consolingly on Kim's lap.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed Kim. It takes a bit of practice before learning how to handle yourself in a kitchen. Sadly, brain surgery and cooking aren't exactly related skills." Kim's mother offered.

"Thanks mom. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it sooner or later." Kim tried to keep her smile as she felt Zorpox's hand move up her inner thigh, smoothly, slowly, gradually. Kim felt herself trembling as she took her cup to her lips, trying to drink in the cool liquid.

Suddenly, without warning, Zorpox's fingers moved straight up her thigh, right for…

Kim jumped, 'accidentally' splashing 'Ron' in his face.

"Oh, Ron. I'm so sorry." Kim struggled to restrain her glee, even as Zorpox threw his hands over his exposed face.

"Ronald, are you alright?" Kim's father rose upon noticing the way that Ron was clutching to his face.

"What?" Zorpox almost hissed at the paternal Possible.

"You're make up is running." Kim informed proudly as she whispered back to Zorpox.

"Ron, is there something on your face?" Mrs. Dr. Possible asked with concern as she rose from her seat, moving towards Ron's seat.

"I'm fine." Zorpox snapped back even as he rushed out, away from the table and towards the front door.

"Was there something on his face?" Mr. Dr. Possible asked his wife with concern.

"I'll go check on him." Kim insisted even as she anxiously rose from her seat to chase after 'Ron.'

Kim rushed out the front door and into the night, seeing Zorpox bent over, his hands smeared with his makeup as he turned angrily to Kim.

"Very cute." He hissed.

"I try." Kim replied proudly as she eyed her enemy.

"Care for a good night kiss?" Zorpox offered finally as he tried to shake off the wet peach colored run off on his hands.

"You don't think I'm just going to let you call this a night, do you?" Kim asked.

"You might want to check your room first before deciding to throw down with me."

At this, Kim took a moment to gaze in horror as she turned, abandoning her guard on Zorpox as she rushed back inside, and straight up to her room.

She entered in through her loft to find nothing disturbed, the room seemingly untouched. Yet something seemed out of place, amiss. It took Kim a moment to pick out what was missing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He kidnapped your Pandaroo?" Wade asked slowly, convinced that he had misheard Kim, or that his signal was still receiving interference, in spite of what had been hours of effort on his part.

"Yeah." Kim replied dryly.

"Let me get this straight. Zorpox dresses up like Ron, get's himself invited to your house for dinner, and then, rather than so much as scratch your family, takes your stuffed bear hostage?"

"Yes Wade." Kim was obviously annoyed at having been reminded of the events of the last hour or so.

"I don't get it. If he was going to take a hostage, why not grab one of your family?"

"Oh that would have been too impersonal." Kim's voice was cold enough to freeze an entire ocean. "I mean yeah, if Shego had come to dinner, she would have taken my brothers hostage. Heck, even Drakken's gone after my dad. Zorpox wanted to show that he knew how to get to me in all the ways that none of my other villains ever could. Besides, it's not like he needs any other hostages, he already has Ron."

Wade was silenced by the implications of Kim's words. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What else am I going to do? Get it, and Ron, back. Zorpox's invited me to a show down, and I intend to be there."

"Wait, where?" Wade found himself confused again. "How do you know where Ron is?"

"Easy." Kim took in a deep breath as she readied her words. "There's only one place he would set up as an ambush. Camp Wannaweep."


	9. Back To Wannaweep

Author's Note: Boy, I don't know what else to say that hasn't been said. Thanks so much to all those who have continued to read and review in, both positively and critically. I will confess, I am going to try and hurry up the remaining chapters, only because as school goes on, my work load is going to be more and more time consuming. And as always, write a review, get a response.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim quickly discarded her shirt in favor of another black mission one. She had a 'date' after all, and she planned on showing up properly attired.

"Kim, you can't do this. You won't stand a chance." Wade insisted over the volume of the Kimmunicator.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Kim moved across the room, assembling her mission gear.

"I'm putting in a call to GJ. They can back you up."

"No! If you do, they'll never find him, and I'll have lost him. I know where he is right now and I'm going in and getting him back." Kim packed away her grapple gun and laser lipstick, even as she tried to determine what other gear might be specifically useful in this situation.

"But Kim, he'll have every advantage over you. He knows you're coming, and he already knows every one of your moves." Wade's voice pleaded.

"Guess I'll have to show him some new ones." She packed her pack tightly, throwing her arms between the straps.

"He'll have the advantage of terrain familiarity. He's bound to have the entire area booby-trapped."

"And, I imagine, he'll even use the equipment from the telecommunications camp nearby to jam the Kimmunicator again." Kim tugged at her pack, even as she felt a tiny set of paws scamper up her side to her shoulder.

"Sorry Rufus, not this time." Kim picked up her tiniest friend in her palm, eyeing him apologetically.

"Huh! But… Ron!" Rufus pleaded from within her delicate hands.

"I'll bring him back, I promise. But I can't be worried about him and you at the same time. I've got to do this one solo. I'm sorry." Looking into the tiny naked mole rat's eyes made this decision even harder, but she knew it was the right call.

Rufus continued to eye Kim pleadingly for several seconds. Her face softened, but didn't relent, until finally Rufus was forced to yield his position.

"Kim, I really don't like the idea of you going in there by yourself."

From within his room, Wade was nearly shaken dizzy as the Kimmunicator was snatched into Kim's hand as she brought the screen directly to her face. Her face nearly turned Wade's blood cold.

"Then you should have cleaned your room, because then we wouldn't have this problem, and Ron and I could be out on the town right now, instead of getting ready to try and kill each other!" Kim's expression alone threatened to bite Wade's head off, yet immediately recoiled in horror as she realized just what she was saying. "Wade… I am so sorry. I…"

"It's ok Kim." A solemn look decorated Wade's features, drawing up just guilt within Kim's innards. "I know this has been hard for you."

"That's no excuse. That was out of line."

Wade didn't say anything at first, not for another few seconds as he forced his gaze back up to her face. "You know he's going to be ready for you before you ever show up. You can't stop him Kim, not on his terms, not without some kind of edge."

Kim sighed, suddenly finding herself heavily weighed down by her backpack as she plopped herself down into her desk chair.

"He's been one step ahead of me this whole time, I don't even know what to expect from him anymore." Kim admitted. She found herself longing for Ron, his support, his strength, and even his dumb sense of humor. Kim had once told Ron that she could have never saved the world without him, and as much as she knew most of the world would never believe it, as much as she was aware of how few people gave Ron the credit he deserved, she had meant every word of it. It wasn't just the aide in the field; it was the strength he gave her every time they went out. As much as Kim was aware of it, she had never truly appreciated until this moment how much she had come to depend on that before a mission.

"Kim, I know you're not going to want to hear this, but if you want to beat Zorpox, you've got to beat Ron."

"Ron is not Zorpox." Kim argued with renewing anger.

"Kim, they're using the same brain. Whatever differences in personality they've got, you need to start using that against him."

"What do you want me to do, sic a pack of monkeys on him? Lure him into a trap with a pile of Nacos as bait?" Kim couldn't restrain the sarcasm in her voice, somehow hoping that it might help. Try as she might, she was having a hard time coming up with some constructive, practical application of Wade's advice, until…

"What?" Wade noted the look on Kim's face as her eyes lit up with hope, inspiration flashing across them.

"Maybe there is one way. One weakness that Ron has." Kim turned, looking into a nearby mirror. "It's the same one I've got."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim slid open the window to Ron's room, stepping in cautiously. As sure as she was that Zorpox wouldn't be inside, there was no point in taking unnecessary risks, especially now.

Kim noted the dishevelment of the room, a stark contrast to her own. Clothes and other items lay all over the room as if a tornado had hit, the bed was unfolded, and the aroma of stale nacos and old cheese came from a corner trash bin where spare bags of Bueno Nacho had been discarded.

She wasted no time in her search through the room, digging through mountains of clothing, navigating past the elaborate play system that was set up for Rufus.

Nothing. No sign of it. Then he had already been there as she suspected. Just as well. That meant one more stop before Wannaweep.

Kim's eyes settled upon a picture on Ron's nightstand. It was of the two of them at the prom. Someone, Kim couldn't remember who, had snapped a picture of the couple just at the precise moment of their first kiss. Ron had offered a month's worth of Bueno Nacho for that picture.

A lone tear worked its way down her eye. Just one. Kim couldn't help herself as she reached for Ron's bed, taking one of the pillows in hand, pulling it to her tightly, and taking in a deep sniff.

The scent brought a flood gate of memories all at once to mind. Kim took in the scent for as long and deeply as possible, clutching the pillow all the more tightly as she did. She had to limit herself to just one sniff. She could feel herself want to just collapse right on Ron's bed, to simply doze off, immersed in that fragrance.

But she couldn't. He was out there. He was counting on her, and she would move heaven and hell before giving up on him.

One more stop to go she reminded herself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright talk to me." Jack Hench tightened his tie as he walked down the hallways of his corporate offices. Jack wasn't a man who believed in sleep. Sleep was time that could be better spent making profits.

"I'm afraid its not good sir." Mr. Hench's personal assistant hurried along side his boss, his notes in hand. "Our market department is reporting some very negative returns on our latest ad campaign for our new product."

"Ray X?"

"Yes sir. I'm afraid there already is, or rather was, a Ray X. It seemed it cured the common cold. Needless to say, this is going to carry some rather un-terrifying imagery that might affect sales."

Jack Hench never once wavered in his resolve. "Alright, well just rename the thing and pass it off as an upgraded model. We'll raise the price to convince everyone it's even better than our old model."

"Very good sir. Also, I'm afraid Mr. Killigan has been calling again. Apparently, his newest golf balls don't carry the swing he requested."

"Oh, that man is insufferable. First, he insists that we pack as much micro explosives as possible into his balls, and then he complains that they weight more than normal golf balls. I swear, if he personally didn't make up three percent of our quarterly revenue… alright, tell Williamson Mr. Killigan needs a new set of balls… and no more office jokes about it this time either. Mr. Killigan was not pleased with our latest office letter."

"Yes sir. Will that be all?"

"Yes, I'll be in my office. Better get some take out, it looks like it's going to be a long night." Even as he spoke, Jack Hench opened the door into his personal office, only to see that his private seat, which was supposedly booby trapped against any one other than himself sitting in it, was already filled.

"You're night just got a lot longer." Kim stated, as she brought her feet down from atop his desk.

"Ahh, Miss. Possible." Jack Hench used his best sales voice. "How good to see you again. Strange, I don't recall asking for your assistance. All Hench Co. property and materials are still safe and secured. Therefore, since you are not here by request, I am going to have to ask you to leave before any of my more excitable and rich customers stop by."

"Your customers are not my concern right now. I'm much more interested in one of your products; the Attitudinator."

"Oh, I'm afraid we discontinued that product. It seems some of our clients don't appreciate the implications that they aren't already evil enough. You know how rich people can be."

"I know how nut jobs and mad scientists can be, which last I checked, makes up over ninety percent of your business."

"Ninety four to be precise." Jack Hench declared almost proudly. "The rest, we owe mostly to the US military."

"I need some information about the Attitudinator, and you are going to give it to me."

"Miss. Possible, I'll have to check with my lawyer, but I believe that that constitutes a threat, possibly even one with implications of physical injury. And since you are technically trespassing, I am going to have to have security escort you out."

Mr. Hench never once pressed a button or activated any sort of remote that Kim could see. Yet that still didn't stop nearly two dozen heavily built men in matching uniforms from filing in behind Jack Hench, surrounding Kim.

"Now, if you'll just accompany these men quietly outside, in light of your assistance to our company in the past, we won't press any charges. What do you say?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What did you say?"

"I said let me go! Let me go!" Jack Hench screamed frantically as he dangled precariously from the window of his private office. As he looked down, he almost could imagine the painful irony of landing right atop his own car at this height.

"Oh, I don't think that's a good idea. That's got to be a couple hundred foot drop." Kim maintained her firm grip on the rope tied around Jack Hench's ankle. If that rope went, there was nothing to keep Jack Hench from doing the same. Kim wiped the sweat from her brow, both it and the dozens of unconscious henchmen behind her serving as a reminder of just what it had taken to get Mr. Hench into a cooperative mood.

"You're insane." Hench cried out even as his coat fell off across his dangling arms, down to the ground.

"And you sell weapons and the latest in evil technology to the worst nut cases on this planet. Your products have been shot at Ron and me for as long as we've been doing this, and I gotta tell you, for some reason, tonight, right now, at this very moment, that really bothers me."

"What do you want? What do you want?" He cried finally.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was at least two hours later as Kim got off of Ron's rocket propelled moped. She removed her helmet, leaving it atop the seat as she pulled out her Kimmunicator.

Nothing but static. No signal. No surprise.

The sun had set at least an hour and a half ago. Luckily the moon shined full and bright, providing at least a limited degree of illumination. Kim's footsteps were soft and silent as she moved across the open grass. The camp had long been closed after Gill's disastrous 'relapse', and the still present threat of toxic contamination. The fall weather left the ground littered with leaves that cracked and crinkled far more loudly than Kim would have cared for as she moved across the open area of the camp.

The abandoned cabins still decorated the area. Even the other camps across the lake, clown camp, science camp, band camp, and all their buildings provided possible shelter for her prey.

Kim cursed herself as she felt her foot brush up against the trip wire. She barely had time to blink as a large net came up from underneath the cover of fallen leaves, scooping her up and lifting her up into the air.

She found the ropes strong and resistant to her tugging and thrashing. Still, that didn't make them immune to her laser lipstick. Kim quickly cut a hole out for herself, yet before she could drop out, a wooden spear seemed to shoot out from an indeterminate location, right through the exact spot Kim imagined herself landing.

Kim was hesitant as she dropped back down to the ground, expecting another trap of some sort to shoot out at her. She landed nimbly, bringing herself to her guard as she called on the full power of her senses to scan her surroundings.

"You know, it's absolutely amazing how much arts and crafts goes hand in hand with jungle warfare," an all to sadistic voice taunted. "The only thing required to get from point A to point B is the right amount of imagination."

Kim strained herself to find the source of the voice as it echoed seemingly from the forest cover nearby. "Ron, where are you?"

"Kay Pee… I keep trying to tell you. Ron's not here. It's just you and me."

Kim didn't respond as she continued to search through the night's shadows, finally catching the outline of something flapping and dangling behind a tree.

The fiery super hero leapt right out, knocking the decoy cape right off its branch, even as she heard something trip. Kim turned just in time to see a series of arrows shooting right at her.

Pure instinct kicked in as Kim leapt, straining her body in flawless form and style as she moved gracefully through the air. As she did, more arrows seemed to fire in a pre-arranged pattern, perfectly in track with Kim's maneuvers. Kim was forced to push herself all the harder as the last arrow grazed her leg, cutting her only so slightly, the wound more aggravating and embarrassing than actually serious.

"I guess someone isn't as fast as they used to be. Hope you're not getting tired already. We've got a long night ahead of us." Once again, Kim couldn't find the body to go along with the voice as it echoed from somewhere in front of her.

"If this is all you've got planned, it's going to be a slow night." Where was he? He just had to be somewhere close by. She could practically feel his breath on her neck.

Kim fell forward as he came out of the shadows from behind, tackling them both as they rolled around on the ground.

"How about a kiss?" Zorpox attempted to straddle Kim to the ground, but she kicked up, knocking him off of her. As she tried to leap up into the air from the ground, she aimed her feet straight for his jaw, knocking him up and off the ground before he fell back, even as she landed squarely.

"Kiss my feet." Kim reached into her pack, attempting to draw a lip balm knockout gas, but Zorpox quickly rolled off into nearby shrubbery, concealing himself. Kim hurriedly chased him through the cover, but he was already gone.

"Wow. There's my girl. Knew she was in there somewhere." Kim tried to follow the voice uneasily, well aware that Zorpox was leading her further and further away from the main camp area and deeper into the forest.

"Ron, I know you're in there. I need you to fight him." Kim knew it was a long shot, but she had to believe that somewhere in Zorpox's twisted mind, her best friend and boy friend was still struggling, still fighting. If not, then she had already lost.

"You're still not getting it." Zorpox dropped down from a tree branch, landing behind Kim, his arm wrapping around her neck, even as he attempted to grab her spare arm. He spoke fiercely into her ear. "Ron's not home."

"Then I don't have to worry about kicking your butt." Kim's elbow drove straight into Zorpox's midsection, causing him to loosen his grip. Pushing her momentum, Kim held onto the arm previously around her neck, and used a judo throw to toss Zorpox over her shoulder onto the hard ground before her.

Zorpox quickly leapt to his feet, turning directly towards her. The two slowly moved, circling each other.

"So, here we are. Just the two of us, alone, in the middle of the woods, full moon out. Man, is this as romantic for you as it is me?"

"Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?"

"Well, a guy's gotta do something to fill in the silence between the screams." Zorpox's foot shot straight for Kim's head, but she quickly blocked it, and the follow up attack, retaliating with a strike to his gut, which he was able to deflect. The two danced with light strikes, each landing with almost no force, probing, testing, and assessing one another.

"Did you come to fight or dance?" Kim adjusted herself as Zorpox moved, trying to flank her.

"Actually, I just wanted to get you into position." Zorpox dropped his attack, knocking another trip, this one prompting a giant log suspended by twin thick lengths of rope to come swinging down straight for where Kim was standing.

Tensing her leg muscles, Kim leapt over the flying log, easily but too closely for comfort. As Kim came back onto the ground, Zorpox took the opening to drop kick her right out of the air and onto the ground, right on top of another trip wire, just as Zorpox had planned.

Kim had a second to follow the wire up as another net came up all around her, pulling her up into the air. Kim quickly pulled out her lipstick again, cutting herself loose.

A sense of déjà vu caused Kim to hesitate, a mistake that allowed a series of darts to shoot at her, hitting her in the legs, arms, and even one in the side of her neck. Kim cursed her hesitation, as she quickly removed the dart, dropping down from her hoisted prison, and landing roughly on the ground, stumbling as she dropped.

"Stupid drugs." Kim quickly turned around, but found no sign of Zorpox.

"Sorry Kimberly. It's not that I don't like my girls to have some fight in them. But you know how worked up you can be sometimes." The echo seemed to taunt from around her. Kim cursed silently as she watched the trees and shadows around her seem to blur and mesh together.

"This won't stop me." Even Kim had to admit the apparent emptiness of her threat as she felt herself leaning up against a nearby tree for support.

"Good. Glad to hear it. That's why you're my girl."

Kim didn't answer as she forced herself up right and tall, stumbling slightly as she did. Desperate to shake off the grogginess, she shook her head, trying to keep herself from getting dizzy at the same time. To the best of her fogged mental abilities, Kim attempted to make her way towards the lake at the center of the camps, trying desperately to find her way.

A kick came out of nowhere, straight into her stomach, forcing Kim to bend over in pain, even as Zorpox emerged, delivering another to the side of her right leg, causing her to lose her footing.

"You know I got to say, I'm disappointed in you. Thought you had more spunk than this." Zorpox's fist crashed against her face, knocking her to the ground. Kim's mind screamed to react at speeds and in a capacity that her drugged body was unable to accommodate.

Kim struggled back to her feet, only to be knocked squarely back to the ground by another kick, leaving her only to stir weakly as she heard him speak.

"Don't worry; it'll be better this way. I'll take much better care of him than you ever could."

Adrenaline shot through Kim's body, burning its way past the drugs, as anger and focus steadied a slightly delirious mind. Kim's legs shot up, spinning around, and knocking Zorpox's out from underneath him.

The blue villain rose up to his feet, just as Kim came up with a solid right directly to his face, knocking him back. He tried to catch himself, but she compounded upon her momentum with another kick straight to his exposed ribs.

"You're finished." Kim ducked a roundhouse from Zorpox, leapt over a foot swipe, and then retalited with a flying spin kick that knocked him back to the ground, causing him to land hard. Fuming mad, she walked over to his unsteady form, grabbing his shirt up off the ground as she delivered another shot across his head. "You're going back in your box." And another. "You're never going to hurt him again." Another. "You're never going to hurt me again." And one more. "You're done."

Kim dropped Zorpox's battered form back to the ground, leaving him to moan pitifully in the dirt as she stood over him.

"Game over."

Zorpox shot back up, in spite of his blurred vision as he took a fistful of darts from his pocket and dug them straight into Kim's leg. Kim barely had time to cry out in stinging pain as the drugs worked through her system, causing her legs to melt beneath her.

"Got that right." Zorpox sneered, even as she pushed her over to the ground, unconscious.


	10. That Special Day

Author's Note: Did some editing, made a few minor extensions to this chapter. Nothing huge.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Ron Stoppable could feel his heart beating, his adrenaline rushing. He'd been in some pretty rough sitches in the past, but this one easily leapt to the top of that list. At this very moment, less than a hundred yards away from where he was standing, a literal convention of the most dangerous super villains on the planet were gathering to share evil ideas, brag about their insidious accomplishments, and show off the latest in world menacing technology. Any sane man wouldn't be caught within a hundred miles of such a gathering in anything less than multi-layered Centurion armor._

_Ron's current attire was a far cry from that._

"_You call this incognito?" Ron held up the Kimmunicator, making sure that Wade wasn't just playing some kind of practical joke on him. Ron felt absolutely absurd in his purple and black costume and this was a young man who had once gone dressed up as a horse's butt for Halloween._

"_Zorpox the Conqueror." Wade explained. "Issue ninety-seven of the Villains League of Evil Villains." On the screen, Wade held up the aforementioned comic to prove his point._

"_And I am…" A skeptical Kim Possible interjected as she held up the 'tail' of her cat suit._

"_Sheela, of the Leopard People." Wade's enthusiasm was growing just a little too quickly for Kim and Ron's taste._

"_I was going to say 'not feeling one hundred percent on the cat suit." Kim emphasized her point by spinning the end of her 'tail' in the air rather pitifully._

"_I worked with what I had on hand." Wade defended himself_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim swore that she could feel her head splitting at the seams as she slowly stirred. As her senses gradually reclaimed themselves, she became aware that she was lying on a hard, cold surface of some kind, a fabric different from that of her mission clothes covered her entire body, including her face. Her weary mind tried to bring her hands to her face in an attempt to rub the fog from her eyes, only to find her limbs restrained and unresponsive to her commands. Kim's eyes shocked open, only to notice that she had been strapped, hands and legs, to a table of some kind, her clothes having been replaced by a leopard themed cat suit complete with dark boots and gloves and a mask to complete the ensemble.

"Oh no. This is so not good."

"Oh yes. This is, in fact, so very bad. And bad is what I do baby! Booyahahahahaha!" The unannounced laugh sent a whole new string of bad memories through Kim's mind, as well as a familiar and unwanted chill up her spine. Kim looked up, atop another level that ran around what she guessed to be a laboratory within the science camp across the lake from Wannaweep, to see Zorpox standing proudly, looking down upon her.

"Ron, what is going on?" Kim struggled against her restraints. No surprise, they didn't budge.

"You're still not getting it Kimberly. Ron is not here, and in a few moments, you won't be either!" As Zorpox spoke, he moved over towards a ladder that lowered him down to the level where Kim lay. "I've been planning this. All from the first moment that I was brought back. In the first instant that I looked at you from within that stupid GJ cell, I knew that this was what I wanted. The way I see it, if Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable can save the world, then Zorpox and Sheela of the Leopard People shall bring it to its knees! Booyahahahahaha."

"You can't do that." Kim redoubled her struggle for freedom. "You'd need an…"

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'Attitudinator'!" Zorpox rushed over to the side of the table, picking up the device with wicked delight. The bits of tape that ran down along its center confirmed to Kim that this was the same one that had originally turned Ron into Zorpox in the first place. "Cool huh? Ron may be a pit of a packrat, but that's only because he never throws anything away! Lucky for the both of us! Booyahahahahahahahaha!"

"Don't do this." Kim pleaded as she found her strength useless against her restraints. "Ron, I know you're in there. I know you can hear me."

"Oh of course he's in here." Zorpox tapped his head, before taking the Attitudinator and shoving roughly atop Kim's hair. "That's what makes this so much more fun. He's in here all right, and right now, he's screaming and hollering. And it's music to my ears. I love listening to it even as I'm about to corrupt the one thing in this world he loves more than anything."

"You're sick."

"What can I say? Sadistic pleasures for sadistic people." Zorpox let out another laugh, even as he rushed over to the side, quickly fiddling with some equipment. "Besides, you know we belong together. But the problem is, you're good, and I'm not. So, one of us is going to have to change for this relationship to work, and that's not going to be me."

In that moment, Kim knew that this was it. Without some kind of Wade-ordered minor miracle, there was no escaping this, and as silly as it seemed, there was just one question burning on her mind that she absolutely had to ask. Since now seemed like the only opportunity she would ever get, she had to know.

"Zorpox, Ron swore he didn't know anything about you. About what you were planning. If you obviously know and remember everything he knows, why couldn't he remember everything you knew?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zorpox turned to her. "He didn't remember because he didn't want to. He was embarrassed about me. I'm his shameful little secret that he wanted to hide from everyone, even you. Even himself."

"Ron had nothing to be ashamed about. You were out of his control, and he knows I'd never blame him for it." Kim bit back.

"Oh that's not what I mean. He wasn't ashamed of the things that I did, he was ashamed that, even just the tiniest bit, he enjoyed having me in the driver's seat." Zorpox sneered at her.

"You're lying. Ron would never enjoy what you do." Kim knew in an instant that Zorpox was trying to get to her.

"Oh, true enough. That spineless little worm could never stomach the things that I do. He's too gentile, and sweet, and innocent and pure." Zorpox mocked in a high pitched voice, before adding "but there was some part of him, some very small, very ashamed, part of him that enjoyed all the attention that we got. And there, Kimberly Anne Possible is the answer to my riddle!" He exclaimed in final triumph.

"The most famous of all the angels?" Zorpox's enigmatic taunt escaped her soft lips.

"The devil!!" Zorpox cackled. "The original rebel. The first bad boy ever! Sure he's evil, heartless, cruel, a true idol, but of all the countless billions of stars up there and all the no name angels, he was the one everyone remembered! And it's the same with me and Ron. I steal candy from babies, I stick cats up trees, I borrow your car and leave you to fill up the tank; I'm a bad person. But in the end, all those people that wouldn't look twice at Ron, they all tremble and quake at the very sound of my name!! The most attention Global Justice ever paid him was when they thought he was responsible for _your_ success, but me. Oh they pulled out all the stops as soon as I showed up! I give him respect, more than you ever did!"

"You're even more twisted than I gave you credit for." Kim spit with disgust.

"Oh really? Then maybe you can explain to me why Ron decided to don that stupid rodent costume?"

"The Fearless Ferret?" Zorpox's mad riddles and stupid taunts suddenly began to swirl through Kim's mind.

"Did you ever think to ask yourself why a super hero and his pet rodent had to dress up in stupid costumes so that they could play run-around as a super hero and his pet rodent? I mean seriously, did you think your boyfriend just wasn't getting enough world saving in his daily routine that he actually had to run around dressed up in tights!"

"You're one to talk." Kim noted smartly.

"Strictly speaking, I'm more on the supply side of world ending!" Zorpox replied smugly, before continuing. "It never occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, your little side kick wanted to be remembered as something other than just your side kick. That that buffoon, for once in his life, wanted to step out of your shadow and try to take center stage."

The shock had all the affect Zorpox wanted, and he pressed the knife all the deeper into Kim's guts as he spoke.

"You're smart KP, but pretty naïve. You must know how it works; a hot, smart, world saving cheer leader like you running around; how's a guy supposed to compete with that? Who needs to talk to the dorky side kick standing on the side lines when we have a real life super heroine to praise and worship? He was so desperate to step out of your shadow for just a moment, to actually show someone that he could matter without you lifting and carrying him… oh man," Zorpox began to laugh. "If you had any idea of how much it burst his bubble when you took that stupid mask off while he was dangling upside down in that warehouse. Hahahahaha. Absolutely priceless."

"You're lying." Kim struggled to get out, only having enough for a soft retort. Yet her whisper somehow managed to reach across the room to Zorpox's ears, prompting him to rush right across the room, placing his face directly in front of hers.

"Am I? Look me in the eye. Am I lying to you?" Zorpox's face took on an appearance of dread resolve, as he eyed Kim directly, even as she scanned him, desperate for some sign of deception.

"No." Kim could only whisper, even as tears began to stroll down her face. Zorpox's words and their terrifying implication cut into Kim's innards with a serrated edge as she could only struggle against her restraints, not for her freedom, but simply to wipe her face.

"Oh relax. You shouldn't let it bother you after all." Zorpox moved to set the Attitudinator. "I promise, in one minute, you won't be able to care less about Ron Stoppable."

With the push of a button, Kim could only look up in helpless horror as the Attitudinator came to life, a series of beeps and buzzes and other assorted noises that could only be assumed to accompany its activation echoed through the room as it began shaking and vibrating atop Kim's skull. The young super hero bit down hard, fighting with all her strength, until finally, the device slowed itself, reducing to a low hum, signaling that its insidious work was done.

"Kimberly?" Zorpox looked closely at the seemingly peaceful state of his helpless prisoner, her eyes closed, as she began to stir. A low moan escaped her lips as her eyes opened up, looking directly back at Zorpox.

"Kim?" He asked again.

"Not anymore." Sheela replied with a grin.

Zorpox leaned in closely, his face a mere inch or so from hers, his voice laced with implication. "And how do I know that? How do I know someone isn't just playing possum while waiting for the affects of the Attitudinator to kick in."

The blue skinned villain stumbled where he stood, his arms flailing in the air, as Sheela jumped up within her restraints, taking his lower lip within hers, nearly biting as she brought Zorpox's lips to her own. As she did, he almost feared that he was going to swallow her tongue. In all their time together, the princess and buffoon had never once kissed like this. It was raw, primal, pure lust without restraint or modesty. In the end, Zorpox had to push down on her shoulders just to separate her lips from his own.

"And if you think that's something, you should see what I can do when I have my hands." Sheela's voice purred with sultry implication as she seemed to wiggle contently within her bounds, the very sight of that slender body sent Zorpox near mad.

"Good plan." Zorpox kicked a control at the bottom of the table, causing the restraints to retract themselves. Instantly, Sheela leapt off the table with all the furry of a newly freed animal loosened from its cage as she pounced right on top of Zorpox, tackling him to the ground, returning her lips to his yet again, and practically devouring his mouth within hers. Zorpox found himself struggling to push her off in desperate need of air.

He took in a deep gasp as he spoke. "Don't you… ever… breathe?"

"It gets in the way." Sheela purred again, only to strike Zorpox's face hard, leaving him confused and dazed on the floor as she stood up, wiping herself off.

"What was that for?" He shouted angrily as he rubbed his face.

"That was for taking off my clothes while I slept. No, wait, that was for the darts." Another palm burned its way across Zorpox's face, this one leaving a stinging burn that nearly drove all other feeling out of his cheek. "That was for taking off my clothes."

Zorpox leapt up to his feet, staring angrily at her. "Just who do you think you are?"

Rather than answer, Sheela took him, bringing him up to her, their mouths wide as they embraced again, before she pushed him back to answer. "Why, I'm a bad girl."

Sheela gave a strong push that knocked Zorpox off his feet, sending him back to the ground. He growled in anger as he rose, but she merely laughed at the sight of his rage.

"Oh, let me guess." Sheela seemed to signal him to hold his place with her finger. "You tried to change me just like you were changed and bring out Kim Possible's bad girl because… you wanted someone to hold your hand and play side kick for you like you played side kick for the cheer leader. Sorry, doesn't work like that." She declared confidently.

In a fit of rage, Zorpox's fist darted out at Sheela who easily ducked the attack, only to leap up over Zorpox, pivoting with one hand on top of his head, sending him stumbling over with his cape over his face as she landed with flawless grace behind him.

"Well you don't have to be the side kick." Zorpox brought his cape back behind him as he tried to regain his composure, all the while he approached her undaunted. "I was really thinking more like, second in command."

"Hmm, try again." Sheela purred.

This time, she struck out, but Zorpox deflected the attack, and then another, and another. The two seemed more to dance then fight as they continued to block one another's attacks, until finally, Zorpox grabbed a wrist, and pulled Sheela close.

"Equal partners?" His lips were inches from hers as he restated his offer.

"Warmer." Sheela's knee dug straight into his gut, sending him bending over. "But I really see myself as top kitty around here, and that means, I decide how things work, comprende?"

Snarling angrily, Zorpox pushed himself past his pain as he moved to tackle Sheela to the ground, grabbing her arms and pinning her to the floor. She merely giggled with delight in the face of his rage.

"I kinda figured you liked it rough." She teased.

"Equal partners. Take it, or you can go back to being a cheer leader." He hissed at her.

"Hmm, does that mean you prefer the short skirt over the cat suit?" Sheela raised an eye brow suggestively at the question.

"Last chance." He warned.

Sheela kicked up, knocking Zorpox over, as she exchanged grips with him, pinning him down beneath her.

"I suppose, as long as I'm on top, I can work with that." She smiled as she leaned in towards him.

"Then this is going to be the start of a sadistic relationship."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, just what are you planning anyway?" Sheela asked as she sat atop the table, eyeing the Attitudinator warily. After hammering out a few inconsequential details, and some more foreplay, strictly with the clothes on of course, Zorpox had been fast at working, scuttling around the room in which they were in.

"Why quite simply, the biggest event of any man's life, besides complete and utter domination of the world of course." Zorpox reached into one of his pockets concealed behind his cape. He took a moment to beam with almost sinister pride as he pulled out a solid gold band with a brilliant diamond encrusted in the middle. "I found this on some quaint little shop keeper, and thought that this would look so much better on your finger than hers. Besides, her husband's rich, I'm sure she'll get another. And if you don't like this one, then I'll get you that one."

"You want to get married??" Sheela looked at him in pure shock.

"Of course. You're bad, I'm worse. We're perfect for each other. I even have the guest list all worked out." He smiled his trademark look of pure evil as he knelt down before her.

"What guest list?"

"Why, come and see." With that, Zorpox took her hand as he guided her outside. The sight that awaited her took her breath away.

A sizeable arbour had been constructed in the middle of the clearing of the camp, standing unpainted out in the moon lit sky. Manacled to its frame via a leg iron, Dr. Drakken stood dressed like a preacher beneath its center, a book held in his manacled hands. Off to the opposite sides where the bride and groom were to stand, Shego and Monkey Fist had been similarly manacled, Shego dressed in an absolutely hideous looking maids outfit that revealed all the leg she had to offer, while Monkey Fist, standing up right with none of his usual primate hair showing had been shoved into a tux.

"You… how did you?" Sheela turned to Zorpox in astonishment.

"Every wedding has to have guests, and I figured who better than our worst enemies present to rue and lament over the day that we kick them and the rest of those grade B losers off the map while we take the world for ourselves!" Zorpox returned to his knee as he held up the ring again. "So, what do you say?"

Sheela took only a moment to respond as she returned her lips to his in a kiss that made Zorpox's captive reception turn green, even Shego.

"Is she kissing him or eating him alive?" Monkey Fist asked with disgust.

"I think both." Shego replied sickly.

Sheela and Zorpox broke their kiss, leaving Zorpox wide eyed with awe as she spoke again.

"I do."

"Oh booyha! So, first thing on our to do list, rule the world!"

Sheela purred suggestively as she stroked Zorpox's face.

"New plan; first the honeymoon, then rule the world." Zorpox amended.

She just continued to stroke her hand seductively over his face.

"New, new plan; first the honeymoon, then more honeymoon, then take over the world."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uhh, uh… deeply disturbed." Drakken read from the book he held nervously. "We have been gathered here today, to bear witness to the joining of these two super villains, in the irrevocable shackles of marriage." Drakken emphasized his last point by pulling on the chains around his wrist.

"Hurry up." Zorpox shouted impatiently. Off to his side, Sheela held a bouquet of dead plants as her bridesmaid, Shego, held her tail in burning humiliation.

"Do… do you Zorpox, take this Leopard person to be your unlawfully wedded partner, to destroy and ruin with, for as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes, yes." Zorpox shouted in frustration. "Get on with it."

"This is why I don't like weddings." Shego moaned with embarrassment.

"Quiet!" Sheela's palm stung across Shego's cheek in anger. "No one asked you to talk."

"Do you, Sheela, take this Conqueror to be your unlawfully wedded partner, to pillage and burn with, so long as you shall live?"

"Yes!" She replied with the same impatience.

A slight sniff could be heard from Monkey Fist, in spite of himself, as he uttered "this is so beautiful."

"Then I now pronounce you…" Drakken never got a chance to finish as the two practically slammed their lips together, their hands roaming all over one another, causing the gathered villains to fear that the honey moon was going to take place right there on the spot.

Zorpox struggled to keep up as Sheela continued to take his mouth more and more into hers, even as her hands ran back around his neck.

That was when it happened.

A quick pinch.

That was all Zorpox felt.

That was all Kim wanted him to feel.

A simple pinch to the proper nerve, and less than a second later, Zorpox fell to the ground, crumbling before Kim as she lifted off the mask to her costume.

"Sorry Zorpox. I want a divorce. I'm seeing someone else." Kim reached into her mouth, removing the device that she had picked up from Hench Co. A device that fit snuggly over the roof of her mouth, designed perfectly to blend in with the flesh there. It had been specifically designed to protect someone from the effects of the Attitudinator. A safety precaution built by Jack Hench in case the Attitudinator fell into the wrong hands and his best clients were to find themselves turned to the side of good and justice.

Kim turned back over to the science camp building as she walked off to fetch the Attitudinator.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ron Stoppable could swore he felt the sun beating down brightly on his face, the feel of warm grass on his cheeks, birds chirping off in the distance. The blonde sidekick struggled to open his eyes as he turned around, taking in his surroundings.

He was at Camp Wannaweep. He was sure of it. Less than two months out of his life spent here and he would know this camp ground from any area, at any angle. The sun was high over head and he was dressed in his mission clothes.

Brushing himself off as he brought himself to his feet, he found himself alone as he took in his surroundings.

"Hello! Anyone here?" He called out.

No response.

"Where am I?" He asked rhetorically.

"Why, can't you tell?" Ron turned around to find the voice answering his question, the figure sitting on a tree stump. "You're in hell," Zorpox declared. "Welcome."


	11. Ron vs Zorpox

Author's Note: I should warn you, the website has been having a bit of trouble sending me emails for every review I get so if it takes a little while than longer for me to reply to reviews, I apologize.

Once again, thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, whether it was every chapter or just whenever you saw something that caught your fancy. I truely appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart.

Enjoy. I think you will.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Ron Stoppable, a nightmare was when he dreamed of coming to school in just his underpants. A nightmare was finding the entire world's population having been replaced by monkeys, or finding himself on a deep space probe heading for the nearest black hole. Ron Stoppable was no stranger to the experience of nightmares. But finding himself standing face to face with the complete representation of everything that was rotten within himself… well, 'nightmare' hardily did the experience justice.

"This isn't Wannaweep," Ron realized aloud as he turned to look around, taking in his surroundings.

"Oh, very astute. I can see why they think you're the smarter of us." Zorpox rolled his eyes before adding "oh wait. They don't."

"Where are we? What's going on?" He asked warily of his other self.

"Heck if I know. Dream, some kind of side affect of the Attitudinator, hell, maybe you're actually having some kind of vision quest. Beats me. We never really figured that out the last time this happened either." Zorpox stood up, starring his alter ego squarely in the eyes.

"This happened before?"

"Last time we switched back."

"Then why don't I remember."

"Same reason you don't remember anything else about me, because you were scared. We're in your mind, and you're as scared of me now as you were then, so you hid me. You hid me away where even you wouldn't be able to find me."

"Wait a minute, if this has happened before, then that it's happening again means KP won. She used the Attitudinator, I'm me again!" He paused as he turned to his darker self. "So why are you still here?"

"I'm always here." Zorpox answered with a grin. "The Attitudinator didn't create me; it just gave you a name to remember and a face to speak to. I'm just trying to make you appreciate what you're about to lose like I did last time. Of course, this time should be much more interesting. You see, we didn't get a chance to really talk face to face last time. You couldn't really bring yourself to face me, so I was more of a whisper in the wind." Zorpox paused briefly to ponder his word choice before amending "or echo in the wind. There was a lot of wind, I do remember that much. After all, we were in your head; the breeze through there gets pretty serious on windy days."

Ron had heard more than enough as he rushed forward to tackle Zorpox, only to find himself on the ground as he passed harmlessly right through the space that Zorpox seemed to occupy. His blue skinned alter ego seemed unsurprised by this turn of events as Ron rolled over on the ground to look up at Zorpox.

"You know, I don't care anyone says, I absolutely refuse to believe that you and I use the same brain." Zorpox turned, looking down on Ron in pure disgust. "This is going to be hard for you to accept, but I'm not actually here. You're not really lying on the ground… well, at least not in that position. We're in your mind!"

"Why?" Ron rose up, looking his other self directly in the eye, standing inches apart. "Why is this happening? Why are you here?"

Zorpox simply smiled. "Ron Stoppable, here is your life."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ron found himself standing on the sidewalk of Middleton. The streets were unmistakable, but there was something about the neighborhood that seemed… different. Some quality of it that was out of place that he could quite put his finger on.

"Be it ever so humble, there's no dump like home." Zorpox mused. Ron turned about, the surprise evident on his face.

"Oh man, since when do you get to be my conscience? What, does Jiminy Cricket have the day off?"

"He does ever since I squashed him with a can of buy spray." Zorpox bit back.

"You're not a nice person." Ron was unimpressed by Zorpox's sick humor.

"Uh, hello? Evil! It says so on my card."

"You have a card?"

"I was getting to it!" Zorpox replied defensively.

"Ronnie, look." A high pitched voice interrupted the duo's bickering. Both Ron and Zorpox turned to see a familiar young girl, complete with red hair, pig tails, and braces, as she walked side by side with an equally familiar young boy with short blonde hair and a familiar decoration of freckles across his face. The young pair walked across the 'street' from where Ron and Zorpox stood.

"Hey, that's me and KP!" Ron exclaimed fondly.

"Well, we are in your mind after all." Zorpox replied obviously, before turning his attention to little Kimmie. "Man, you sure know how to pick them young. Who'd have thought 'that' would turn into a smoking cheerleader?"

"Just so you know, if I could, I'd turn your face inside out." Ron threatened.

"Well you can't so tough." Zorpox actually stuck his tongue out at Ron before turning back to the mental hallucinations before him. "Oh no, wait a second. I remember which memory this is."

Ron noted the frantic look on Zorpox's face, before finally drawing his attention to the middle of the street, where a tiny black kitty had apparently wandered aimlessly. The sound of a nearby car drew Ron's attention to a blue minivan that was driving down the road, apparently oblivious to the helpless infant feline standing before its merciless path.

"Oh no, I can't watch this again." Zorpox's face nearly turned white as young Ronnie bolted out across the street, headless of little Kimmie's warnings, scooping up the tiny cat in his hands and leaping out of the way as the car continued to drive past, its horn blaring even as it went on its way.

"Ronnie! Ron, are you ok." Little Kimmie cried out as she made her way across the street, over to where Ronnie sat, the tiny cat in hand.

"I just rescued a cat!" Ron announced triumphantly, even as he turned to see the fuming mad expression on Zorpox's face.

"The only thing I hate worse than being stuck on the crummy channel that is your life is being stuck watching re-runs!" He complained to no one in particular

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took a few more knocks on the door, before little Kimmie and Ronnie were eventually greeted by an older lady who seemed quite pleased to see the pair.

"Oh, Kimberly. Ronald. How nice to see both of you," she exclaimed.

"Mrs. Kline, we found your cat." Kimmie exclaimed, as she held up the tiny animal in her hands.

"Oh, Wiggles! Did you get out again?" The older lady asked as she took the feline in her hands. "Thank you so much Kim for finding him and bringing him back."

"Actually," Kimmie began to clarify "Ron is the one who saved him. There was this car coming, and Ron rushed right out and grabbed Wiggles and saved him. He was really cool."

A poorly concealed look of disbelief covered the old woman's face as she listened to this astounding tale of heroics. "Now Kimberly, your mother and father should have told you, you don't need to make up stories to impress other people."

Little Ronnie didn't have the experience necessary to mask his disheartenment at his unthanked heroics, even as Kimmie protested on his behalf.

"But it's true. Really. He was all brave… and, and fearless and it was amazing."

"Ok then." She replied, obviously attempting to placate the simple children. "Well then, thank you Ronnie. Would you two like to come inside?"

"No thanks Mrs. Kline." Ronnie replied. As young as he was, even he wasn't that stupid.

"Oooh, isn't that such a shame." From the sidewalk, watching from a safe distance, Zorpox could not hope to restrain himself. "Even as a little boy, no one believed you could even save a cat. Pfft. No wonder everyone thinks the cheerleader does all the work."

"So I saved a cat, and no one else believed me." Ron crossed his arms, obviously annoyed at Zorpox's little mental slide show. "Is there some kind of point to this?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Our gratitude, Ron Stoppable." Sensei praised as he held the Lotus Blade in its case. "At Yamanouchi, you will always be remembered as a warrior hero." Sensei's final words caused the other students in attendance to bow their heads respectfully. Ron found himself and Zorpox looking down on himself back at Yamanouchi, just after his after his first visit to the secret ninja school.

"Booyah! Warrior hero. Score!" Past Ron exclaimed as he gave a finger to Rufus atop his head who returned the enthusiastic high five.

"But, the true nature of the ninja school must be kept secret." Sensei explained solemnly, prompting a look of confused shock on Ron's face.

"You must never tell anyone of your adventure here." Yori sounded almost consoling as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Not ever."

"Hmm, I think I'm starting to catch the pattern." Zorpox noted as he watched the familiar events unfold. "If the world is saved, and it's by Ron Stoppable, does anyone ever notice? Nope! Not once."

"Hey, I've helped other times than that." Ron bit back. "What about that time I fought Gill?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

….

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright you know what, enough with the flashbacks already!" Ron cried as he steadied himself and Zorpox back on the memory of Mount Yamanouchi. "They're giving me a headache."

"Yeah, that figures. Anything that happened longer than five minutes ago, and it's a real brain buster for you, isn't it?" Zorpox merely rolled his eyes.

"You know what, can we just fast forward to the part where I wave good bye to you, tell you to call sometime and then forget to give you my number? Or do you actually have a point to all this?"

Zorpox merely smiled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I thought I said no more flashbacks!" Ron cried out as he found himself standing on the side walk of what looked to be downtown Middleton.

"Oh, this isn't a flashback. This is something else." Zorpox took Ron as he led him down an alley way, out towards one of the main streets. As they hurried along, Ron could see a large crowd of people gathered together en mass along the sides of the street while band fair seemed to fill the air even as multi-colored confetti rained down over the entire area.

Ron quickly surmised a parade of some kind was going on, even as he watched a giant float driving down the street. Ron thought he could make out Kim's parents and brothers atop the float, each sitting in specially ordained seats atop the float as though they were guests of honor amidst the proceedings. The Possible family smiled and waved as thousands of people seemed to scream in cheer at the very sight of them.

As loud as the cheering was, it quickly rose into a deafening roar, forcing Ron to cover his ears as he turned back down the street to see what all the commotion was about.

"What is all this?" He could barely hear himself shout the question back to Zorpox.

"Your worst nightmare." Zorpox made no effort whatsoever to raise his voice over the crowd. Never the less, his words echoed clearly and plainly in Ron's ears as Ron turned back to see another float, this one curiously decorated with plates upon plates filled and overflowing with cheese. Cheese of all types and colors, sizes and shapes, all neatly arrayed both as decoration and dinner, and at the center of them all was a large pillow propped up on another extravagant chair, where a tiny pink figure sat, waving happily at the crowds of people as they chanted and cheered his name.

"Rufus! Hey, Rufus!" Ron shouted, attempting to reach his tiniest friend over the roar of the crowd. "Rufus, over here little buddy."

Ron could swear he saw his mini friend turn to look at him with a look of confusion before dismissively turning back to the masses and masses of loving admirers.

"Rufus, it's me! Ron! Hello?" Ron turned back to Zorpox. "Why the heck didn't he remember me?"

"Hey, don't ask me why this is the way it is. This is your nightmare." The roar of the crowd grew even louder, prompting Zorpox to look back down the street with glee. "Ooh, and here comes my favorite part."

The band fair redoubled in noise, reaching out over the roar of applause as an enormous float came down the street. Off to its side, a squad of cheerleaders jumped and danced perfectly in formation alongside it. The entire thing was extravagantly decorated with gold and lace, the top of which carried two thrones, worthy of royalty. Ron's heart nearly snapped as he saw Kim Possible sitting comfortably in one throne, every wave of her right hand prompting louder and louder cheers and cries of praise from the crowd, while her other was wrapped contently within some one else's palm.

Ron didn't recognize the young man who held Kim's attention and affection, but to look at him, one would almost think someone had taken Eric and Josh Mankey, put them in a blender, and produced this pretty boy. Whoever he was, he was clearly the sole object of Kim's focus, her eyes staring dreamingly into his.

"KP?" Ron couldn't even find the strength of lungs to call out as her float moved right past him. His face was one of pure disheartenment as the float moved on down the street. Ron felt himself want to chase after it, but instead, his feet remained firmly planted where they were, as both the parade and its crowd seemed to vanish around him even as the float with Kim on it faded off into the distance.

"It's the same every night, isn't it?" Zorpox asked. "You must remember. They're celebrated, you're forgotten. They're cheered, you're left behind. It's coming. As much as you try to convince yourself that it's just an irrational dream, you know, deep, deep down, that it's going to happen. Kim is going to go on to bigger and better things, and you're going to get left in the street, watching her backside one last time as she rides off into the sunset."

"Drop dead." Ron's voice had taken on the texture of pure gravel.

"It's that thing that haunts you every time, that thought that lingers just at the edge of your conscious thoughts when ever the two of you say good night or good bye for a little while. That between then and the next time you see her, she's going to find someone better, like she almost did with Eric." Zorpox went on.

"Shut up."

"You got lucky then, and you know it. It was only by some sick twist of good fate that Eric turned out to be a syntho drone, cause if he had been real… hohohahahahaha." Zorpox could restrain himself. "Oh man, she left you behind in the dust at the drop of some pretty boy's comb, and for as long as you've been alive, you can't ever remember being so miserable. And the thought that that might happen again is what slowly eats away at you inside doesn't it? It's a fear that has woken you up in the middle of the night screaming."

"I said, Shut Up!" Ron gritted his teeth together.

"You honestly don't know what you'd do if that happened again do you? The very thought is almost enough to stop your heart. But I can help you. I can take away that fear, that pain. I can promise you that you will never be left behind ever again."

Ron turned to Zorpox in anger even as the world around him seemed to melt, changing. The street was the same street, but the buildings were filthy, many had fallen into decay and some into basic, utter ruin. The sidewalks were lined with some kind of elite soldiers, their weapons drawn, in full riot gear, as they held back a mob of people who looked on in helpless defeat as a different kind of procession marched through their town.

Two dozen slaves pulled at a massive armored behemoth of some kind as Zorpox stood tall and proud, his very presence seemed to blanket the area in a palpable fear. Faint cheers were forced at weapons range by the soldiers in the street as Zorpox cackled, his laugh filling the whole street.

"You see?" Zorpox motioned to himself and his own triumphant march. "I can give you the world. And all you have to do is surrender your fear, your pain, and your doubt. Stop being afraid, and be honest. This is who you are, I am who you are."

Ron just looked on in numb horror as Zorpox revealed in the destruction all around them. Above them, the sky seemed to darken, not with clouds, but with a kind of growing night that spread across the sky, illuminated only by lightening and cracked by thunder.

"I know you've felt it. You felt it when you watched that creepy fake place his hands on hers. You felt that urge to throttle the life out of him just for looking at her. I'm offering you that freedom; the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want and all you have to do is just be honest with yourself!" Zorpox roared, his rant echoing through the abandoned ruins around him.

Ron's face was that of stone resolve as Zorpox asked, in a much lower, more normal tone of voice, "So, what do you say?"

Ron's fist cracked against Zorpox's face, knocking him down to the ground.

"You know, I had a feeling the rules around here had changed when you started showing me your fantasies." Ron rubbed his hands with utter satisfaction. That had felt good.

"Ooh, you are so disappointingly predictable." Zorpox burned as he rose up to his feet. "I'm offering you…" Zorpox was cut off as Ron's fist slammed into his face yet again, knocking him back.

"I heard you the first time. That was once more than I ever want to hear that again." Ron rubbed his hands again.

"Ah, so now what? Just senseless violence?" Zorpox asked as he rubbed his jaw smartly.

"Ok." Ron threw another punch, but Zorpox caught it, before retaliating with a blow to Ron's stomach, causing him to bend over.

"Oh come on, don't tell me that you thought the rules only worked in your favor." Zorpox grinned with satisfaction; that had felt good. "I've got some say around here too you know."

"It's still my head, what I say, goes." Ron came back up with an uppercut that knocked Zorpox straight to the ground. "And I say, you go."

"Not your choice." Zorpox rolled around on the ground for only a moment before leaping up to his feet. He launched into a series of attacks at Ron who managed to deflect every one of them. "I'm everything that you want to be, everything that you can be. If you get rid of me, you fade into nothingness."

"Yeah right." Ron deflected one last attack before kicking out, hitting Zorpox into the gut. "Like I'd take anything you'd tell me at face value. But even if that were the case, I don't care."

"Loser." Zorpox spit out before coming back up with a strike to Ron's face. Zorpox then immediately rushed Ron, tackling him to the ground, pinning him beneath his own weight as he dug his fist into Ron's face. "Is that how you want to go through life? Forgotten?" Another fist. "A nobody."

Ron caught the next strike in his hand even as he struck outward with his spare hand, knocking Zorpox off him. "It's not about who remembers me, it's about what I do. It doesn't matter if they forget, I won't. And neither will she."

"Oh god, here comes the speech." Zorpox and Ron rose to their feet at the same time, even as Zorpox jabbed with his right fist, then his left, then a combo to Ron's lower, middle and upper body with Zorpox's left foot, all of which Ron blocked. "You know she'll leave you sooner or later."

"She could have left me years ago." Ron's fist crashed against Zorpox's jaw again, sending blood spitting out and leaving Zorpox to stumble back. "She's had any numbers of opportunities to leave me behind, and absolutely no one would have blamed her. Hell, I might not have even blamed her after some of the idiotic things I've done. But she never did, not once. I bet even a smart guy like you can't figure out why, I know I can't."

Zorpox caught himself, even as he shot a fist of his own into Ron's face, but Ron merely absorbed the blow, allowing himself to land another fist directly into his opponent, knocking Zorpox back.

"And you know something, you're right. I am scared that she might one day leave me. She's the best thing in my life, of course that scares me. But she has never once done anything to justify that fear. Even when she was with Eric, she still took my word over his. And I know if I'd been the one Drakken had taken hostage, she would have come after me without a second's hesitation, even if it meant running right out in the middle of her perfect prom."

"Still… stupid…" Zorpox stuttered as he tried to keep his balance. Ron just punched him again, sending him down to the street.

"Yes, it is a stupid fear. One day, I'll get over it. Until then, I know she'll put up with me anyway." Ron paused, leaning down to pick up Zorpox by the scruff of his shirt, before slamming another fist into his face. "And in the meantime, you won't ever touch her again!"

Zorpox said nothing as the force of his injuries caused him to just stir weakly. Ron said nothing at the pathetic sight as he dropped Zorpox back down. Without another thought, Ron turned to walk away, taking a few steps before a sound from behind caused him to stop.

"Oh, you don't think it's that easy, do you?"

Ron turned around to see Zorpox standing upright, confident, calm, and his face completely normal. No bruises or bleedings at all to mask the discoloration on his face.

"Who do you think I am? Where do you think we are?" Zorpox asked, indicating to himself and his surroundings. "You think you can just beat me into submission? I don't think so. We're not done yet."

Ron stopped to stare at Zorpox as he glared back at him expectantly. Ron carefully analyzed the expression on his sadistic alter ego, before finally realizing the truth. Ron then turned back around, and continued walking away.

"Hey! Hello? Remember the battle with your evil alter ego?" Zorpox cried back.

"I remember. I just don't care anymore. I'm going to go see my girlfriend." Ron said dryly as he kept walking, not bothering to turn around.

"You can't just leave!" Zorpox shouted, his voice picking up its volume. "Get back here. Fight me!"

"Don't need to. Like you said, this is my head. That means my choices."

"You can't walk away from me! I'm still here Ron. I'm always here!" Zorpox shouted, his rage growing and growing.

"Zorpox, I may have to live with you, but I don't have to listen to you."

Ron kept on walking as Zorpox yelled after him. Ron never knew what final threat Zorpox uttered as he walked off, the world fading around him.


	12. Reunited

Author's Note: Thanks so, so much to all those who have reviewed, both regularily and irregularily, favorably or critically throughout this story. I can't begin to tell you how much it has meant to me. This has easily been the most popular solo project I've ever done, and it's certainly been the most fun to work on. Thanks again to everyone.

Hope you enjoy this last little chapter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim Possible merely stood there, perfectly still, un-relaxed despite being back in her own clothes and out of that cat suit, clutching her Pandaroo tightly, as she eyed Ron's perfectly still form intently.

"I'm not picking up anything unusual." Wade assured through the screen of the Kimmunicator. "It looks like he's himself again."

"You're sure?" Kim would not leave any room for doubt. She would not be tricked by another one of Zorpox's contingency plans.

"Yeah, but it's a good thing you had me do a run down on that Attitudinator. If you'd used that on Ron before undoing Zorpox's modification, he'd have reverted right back to his bad boy self in less than a minute."

"I had a feeling he wouldn't go down quietly." Kim kept a dispassionate glare but returning to the Kimmunicator in hand. "Wade, listen, I said some things earlier…"

"Forget it, Kim. I know this has been rough."

"Not the point. I'm sorry. Still friends?"

"Still friends." Wade smiled, prompting a smile from Kim as well. "Listen, I better let you go. You and Ron have some catching up to do…" Wade moved to sign off.

"Wait. There's one more loose end I need to tie up."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Can't you simply burn these accursed manacles?" Monkey Fist asked angrily as he tugged uselessly against his chains yet again, finding them as unresponsive to his desperate bids for freedom.

"I told you five minutes ago, I don't have my powers back!" Shego was getting annoyed at being constantly reminded of her helplessness. "And if you ask me one more time…"

"What? You'll do an unsatisfactory job dusting my library." Monkey Fist noted her ridiculous attire.

"Ooh, tough talk coming from the monkey king. Oh wait, you'd to be a monkey man for that, instead of just the best man!"

"We might do well to stop arguing and try to get out of here." Drakken interrupted the villain's bickering as he raised his voice to get their attention.

"Everyone say cheese."

The trio turned around just in time to see Kim Possible aim her Kimmunicator at them, a small flashing light at the tip of the device indicating that she was capturing their digital essences for more than just posterity's sake. The villains struggled to throw their hands over themselves to mask their identities, their efforts hampered by their restraints as Kim shot off picture after picture.

"Princess, if you even think of showing those to anyone…" Shego was cut off.

"Here is what I am thinking." Kim walked up to the kidnapped group. "Right now, I can think of at least two dozen reasons why I should call Global Justice and have them drag you all to the nearest maximum security prison. But the truth is; you'd probably escape in about a month or so. After all, that's about average for you guys. And besides, Ron and I need some time alone, without GJ agents combing the area, asking us questions and all that other hassle."

As she spoke, Kim moved down to release the chains around the different villains, starting, surprisingly, with Shego.

"So instead of ruining our moment and only getting a month's peace out of it, I'm going to settle for three. Three months."

"And I take it," Monkey Fist began, "that in exchange for these three months of our inactivity, you won't release those photos to… shall we say, unscrupulous parties."

"Oh, you're going to be very active for those three months." Kim assured as she moved over to release him next. "Because Ron and I are going to be on vacation from the world saving business, and we're putting you in charge of our vacation. If Ron and I get a call from Wade, I don't care if we're in class, on a date, hanging out at Beuno Nacho, whatever, if Wade calls, then I'm going to make sure that every one of those pictures I just took will get sent to every computer, laptop, cell phone and every other memory device on this planet."

There was a horrified silence between the three.

"Oh surely you wouldn't." Drakken pleaded.

"I've got a website and three of the most computer gifted people on this planet. If I get any calls, cat stuck in a tree, bad guy ready to nuke Paris, I don't care if it's your fault or not, I will make sure that those pictures are smeared over every hard drive on this planet."

"You're entrapping us." Shego asked incredulously.

"I prefer to think of it as black mail. You three just got drafted into the super hero gig. Congratulations." Kim finished releasing Drakken from his chains at last.

"You've made one fatal miscalculation Ms. Possible." Monkey Fist began. "Now that we are free, what is to prevent us from simply rushing you at once and preventing you from releasing them by force?"

"You're missing your monkey mojo and Shego doesn't have her powers. Try me." Kim looked him confidently, even as she poised herself for battle.

The three villains needed only a moment to look among themselves as they decided.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kim stood back inside the science camp building; a slight relief had built up back within her as she saw that the color on Ron's face had reverted back to its old self. As she stood there, she found herself stroking her Pandaroo.

Ron had only mumbled a few nonsensical words as he lay there. She thought she had made out him saying something about 'stupid fear', but it was impossible to make out the rest. As she stood, she suddenly became aware of the sun rising up in the distance, its brilliance reflected off the lake. She found it to be a welcome sight.

"Kim?"

Ron's weak voice coming from the floor startled Kim slightly. She turned to see him groggily forcing his eyelids open as he stretched a bit before gradually working his way to sit upright.

She wanted nothing more right then and there than to leap on to him, tackle him to the ground and wrap him in the tightest hug ever, never letting go of him ever again.

But she couldn't. As badly as she wanted to leap into his embrace, there was something on her mind that she simply couldn't excuse, and she simply had to talk about. So she held a calm demeanor as she asked. "Ron, are you ok?"

"Ohh, why does the Attitudinator have to leave you feeling like your brain just lost a fight to an egg beater? Someone should really complain to Hench Co. Industries."

'_Already took care of that part.'_ Kim noted to herself mentally before adding. "Ron, you remember what happened."

It wasn't a question.

Ron's eyes shot wide nervously as he suddenly became aware of the unsympathetic look in her eyes. For the first time, he felt sweat rolling down his sides and started to wish that this lair was better drafted.

"Uh, just the highlights, all the exciting …"

"Ron." Kim trapped him with her gaze. He wanted so desperately to escape that cruel look, to say anything to make it go away. But instead he hung his head in defeat, knowing she had him dead to rights.

"Yes. I remember everything." He admitted shamefully.

"Ron, Zorpox said some things… about you, and our missions and the Fearless Ferret and…" Kim left her sentence unfinished. Try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to complete that thought.

"KP, the guy's a lunatic and a nutcase and…"

"They're true aren't they?" She cut him off.

"Yes." Ron's head sank again away from her gaze as if he was unworthy of her very presence.

"Ron, why didn't you tell me?" Kim asked fiercely even as her eyes began to water.

"I… I didn't know how to. I mean, how do I say it without coming off sounding selfish? I know we don't do what we do for the attention, and I'd still help you beat a million bad guys even if none of them ever remembered my name. And I know how I can get when I have attention pointed at me, and I know I'm not at my most graceful, but, well, with the extreme sports phase and the naco royalties, it, it just felt really good to be noticed for once. I mean, by someone besides just you for a change." Ron's voice seemed to fall into the gutters themselves as if he had just confessed to the most horrible sin imaginable.

Kim's eyes fell as tears continued to pour down her face, before finally working up the frustration to shout "You lied to me."

Ron's face shot up at this. "No, I didn't."

"Well, then you hid this from me. This was really bothering you and you didn't trust me enough to tell me. What, like I would really forget all the wonderful things we've shared together and think you were some kind of selfish jerk if you told me that you wanted to be recognized like you deserve to be." Kim's anger grew and grew the more she spoke.

"I-I didn't want this to come between us. I love you Kim, I didn't want to interfere with that by making it about which of us is more popular. I just wanted you to be happy." He explained desperately.

Kim threw her face into the air in frustration before turning back to him, sniffling back her tears as they burned across her face. "I'm your best friend and your girlfriend Ron Stoppable, and if you're not happy, then I'm not happy. God, why don't you understand that yet?"

Ron wanted to answer her. He could sense the fate of their relationship, their friendship and their love, hung on his next words. But all his lungs produced were choke.

"And you weren't happy, were you, because this bothered you and you didn't trust me enough to tell me. Do you have really have such a low opinion of me that you think I'd turn on you or whatever if you just told me what was bothering you?"

He didn't know what to say. For every tear that burned down her perfect face, three more followed its example down his. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, to even look at her. Fear and terror seized control of his very being, shrinking him down to a tiny helpless figure helpless before a red headed goddess whose wrath could rip him to shreds.

Kim moved to where he sat on the floor, sitting down opposite him. Her hand reached out across to his chin, bringing his eyes up to hers. Ron found them softer this time, somewhat less cruel.

"Ron, I'm your best friend and your girlfriend. I'm going to be honest with you now, not because it's going to make you feel better but because you deserve to hear it."

Ron's lip shuttered and whimpered. He knew what was coming next, and it would absolutely destroy him. As he realized this, he came to a horrifying conclusion. This was Zorpox's legacy, his last cruel act.

"This hurt Ron. It hurts so much to think that you couldn't trust me with something like this, and I'm sorry, but I can't forget this Ron Stoppable. That you would hide something so important… I'm sorry but I can never forget this."

Ron's head fell down in shame and tears. Somehow, his pain and heartache seemed to triple. It all became irrelevant. His heart was cracking; all that could be decided now was how long this would take.

"I can't forget this, but I am going to try to forgive it, because I still love you Ron, and that love isn't conditioned on some kind of absolute morality clause. So I am going to work very hard to try and forgive you, but you have to understand something, and this is very important."

Kim paused, summoning all her rapidly vanishing strength before speaking again. Ron forced himself to look at her.

"If you ever do this again, if you ever hide something like this from me again, I swear, I'll leave you Ron. And I never want that to happen, because you mean more to me than anything in the world, but I can't be with you, can't be your friend, if you can't trust me like this."

"Kim," Ron managed to choke out. "I trust you with my life."

"But not with the truth. Not all of it. And that can't go on. This isn't to guilt you, or to scare you, but I have to know everything that's really going on in your mind. Whatever it is, I swear, we will work through it together. I can forgive you almost anything Ron, but I can't forgive this twice. If you want me, you have to trust me."

For a moment, Ron said nothing as her words unfolded in his mind. The thought of her leaving him was unbearable. Just the image of her walking away from him, turning her head away from his forever, never to speak to him again burned its way into his mind, sparking memories of a dream that seemed to be fading from his memory. He paused a moment as he considered the ramifications of what he was agreeing to.

It would mean opening up to her in whole new ways. Even as best friends, there had been certain things that they had never discussed in real depth, only one of which was the experience with the Attitudinator. Of course, the affair with the Moodulator was another one that came to mind. In fact, as Ron thought, there were a couple of things that came to mind. It wouldn't always be easy, and it would take work. A lot of work.

Then, somewhere in his mind, another voice brought to mind a question that settled all doubts. _Is she worth it?_

Finally, he brought his gaze back to hers. Her perfect green eyes waiting desperately for his response.

"Ok KP."

"Ok?" Kim asked, even as she wiped tears from her eyes. She needed to know that this was for real.

"Ok. If that's what you want, then that's what you get." His voice was still raspy, but it slowly began to regain strength. "Everything. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"Ok then. So now that we worked that out, I'm going to ask; is there anything else that I should know about?"

Ron thought for a moment before remembering something that he had in fact kept hidden a long time. The memory triggered a look of guilt on his face that Kim obviously noticed.

"Ron…" She began with a hint of frustration.

"Ok, well, you remember that time when we switched bodies?" He asked uneasily.

"Yes." She answered, giving him a wary expression.

"Well, I sort of had to change clothes, and… I… kind of… sort of…accidentally looked at my reflection in your body in the mirror… in just your underwear… for several minutes."

"RON!" She shouted indignantly.

"Well, I mean, it's not like I really could've helped it if I wanted. I mean we were stuck in each other's bodies, and I'm sorry, but the whole sitch was awkweird enough, I wasn't going to have you change me while I stood there with my eyes closed!"

Kim fumed for a second longer before calming herself. She supposed she had asked for this after all.

"Ok. Well, since you were… honest enough, to share that with me, I suppose I should tell you that when we switched bodies, I… kinda… sorta… accidentally looked at my reflection in your body in the mirror… for several minutes." She admitted while attempting to maintain modicum of modesty.

"In my underwear?"

Kim blushed slightly, attempting to hide herself behind her scarlet hair.

"KP!" Ron's voice was a loud mixture of shock and embarrassment.

"Oh, and when where you going to share that little secret?" Kim asked sultry.

"That, I was saving for the right moment." Ron defended himself with slight immodesty.

Kim smiled a laugh as she brought herself closer to his face, finally unable to prevent a deep smile from passing between them both.

"We're going to be ok?" Ron felt silly for even having to ask, but he wanted, no, needed to hear the words from her.

"Yeah, we're going to be ok." Kim smiled.

She refused to wait another second. Even as she looked into his deep brown eyes, Kim brought her hand around the back of his head, pulling his face to hers for a deep kiss. Twenty four hours of tension, fear, anger, pain and so much more were released and brought calm as the two embraced.

Seconds seemed like eternity as Kim and Ron fought for more air, forcing their lungs past their limits as they stretched this moment as long as they could before finally parting.

"I missed you." Kim whispered.

"I missed you too. Uhmm, but I do have another confession I need to make. Something that's been bothering me."

"What?" A look of concern slowly brought her smile down.

"You're sitting on my legs. It kinda is a little sore." Ron admitted. Kim looked down to see that she had indeed taken perch on his stretched out legs.

Kim couldn't help but laugh an infectious laugh that Ron eventually caught as well. Kim relieved the weight on his legs by shifting her balance forward, leaning against his chest as he fell back.

In a few minutes, they would call Wade and get a ride. Life would go on as it had. There would be some changes, things would be different, and they certainly both knew that they had more to talk about, but with a little work, they'd be better. But for now, they just simply wanted to take a moment.


	13. Epilogue

Author's Note: I cannot express enough gratitude to all those who have reviewed, encouraging me on. Don't mind this last little chapter, it's just a tiny little epilogue that I just couldn't figure out how to do and finally decided to just put up for the sheer purpose of saying that I'm done. Thanks again to everyone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The brain is actually a very unromantic organ. In spite of all the attempts to exaggerate its internal conflicts, to dramatize its power, it really is nothing more than just a gross, slimy organ. That we do not yet fully understand the processes by which the brain carries out the functions that it does is the only remarkable feature of the brain.

But cast all that aside, and imagine, if you will, the mind to be an ocean. At the surface are our thoughts and our recent memories. Here is where our concerns bubble? Do we look good in this outfit? Did we lock the front door this morning? The concerns and cares that take us through day after day are here.

Going a little deeper, our problems and memories become more and more in depth. Thoughts and concerns covering months, and years go deeper and deeper.

At the very, very bottom, deeper than most of us care to go, we find something more. More memories, most of which we're not even aware of. Some of these memories have simply drifted down here after so long, while other have been left here, almost buried completely.

But there is something else. Some thing that we keep kept away here. You could imagine it as a box, though describing it would be a waste, for it's not really a box. It simply performs the same function as a box, to keep things in for store.

Most of us can't see our box, or choose not to. Often, when we open our box, we are so horrified by what we see that we close it and run away, leaving it where is, pretending that it's not there, and that we never looked inside. A few open the box, and allow what is inside out to run rampant. And there are a few, just a few of us, who can look inside their box, see what is contained within, and still have the strength to simply close their box back up, and without denying its exsistence, simply leave the box and its contents to lie where it is.

Imagine if we could, for just one moment, peak inside one such box. Inside it, we can see a blue skinned madman, his eyes filled with sinister delight, his expression one of sheer madness as he cackles.

"I've been in here before," he says "and I got out. I'll get out again. I always do."

The End


End file.
